A Hero's Redemption
by silversean24
Summary: It seems that death wasn't the end for Cloud Strife. Now in an unknown land, he must purge this new land of its evil. Time for the world to know the power of the One Winged Angel Slayer.
1. A Legacy Lives On

He was able to do the impossible. He was now able to defeat the man that haunted him these past two years. It was finally over. Sephiroth has been defeated. But his defeat came with a price. And that price was known as the death of Cloud Strife. Many people mourned for the blond swordsman's supposed passing, with Tifa Lockheart crying the most. Despite his brooding demeanor, he as shown time and time again that he truly cares for them. He has made a great impact upon their lives. But with Cloud gone, people felt a great bout of sadness from his passing.

He endured too much already. From his village being burned down to nearly losing his sanity, he already lost too much. So much that a normal person would have went insane over the amount of shit he went through. Little did anyone know, he really isn't dead.

In an unknown area, where there was nothing but white, Cloud found himself lying within a patch of grass, filled with flowers. Opening his mako blue eyes, he woke up, scanning his surroundings.

"What happened?" Cloud thought. Then the memeories came back to him like a bullet train. Yazoo and Loz did a dual kamikaze attack that seemingly took his life. While he was able to endure being a shish kebab to Sephiroth's sword, not even he was durable enough to survive an explosion.

Looking at himself, he found his clothes free of dirt, grime and blood. Even the sleeve that covered his left arm was there, despite not needing it because his Geostigma was cured.

"Well, I just hope that they're happy. Sephiroth's gone, so they shouldn't have to worry about me anymore." He then got up, trying to get a good look around. It seems that wherever he is, it's nothing except pure white. There isn't even a sky, unless you count the white nothingness on the great beyond.

The more he walked, the more he found himself lost. It was as if, he was just walking in mere circles, with no way to go.

"Hello, Cloud." A familiar voice rang out behind him. Turning around, he saw a woman around his age was brown hair tied to a braid and wore a pink dress and red jacket, along with brown boots. Her eyes were as green as emeralds and a pink ribbon adorned her hair. The chocobo head couldn't help but smile softly as seeing her again.

"Hello, Aeris." He greeted back, his tone laced with mirth, though thanks to being brooding, he hid it well.

"So, how have you been?" She asked him casually.

"I just saved the world if that's what you mean?" Aerith giggled.

"I know that, silly." She smiled.

"So...since that I'm seeing you, does that mean I'm dead?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Not exactly, spiky." Another person came out of the white nothingness. He was a man, about six feet three inch in height with slicked spiky black hair with a bang on his head. An x-shaped scar was on his left check and his eyes were glowing blue, like Cloud's.

"Hey there, Zack." The chocobo head greeted casually.

"Hey, Cloud. It's been a while." The first class SOLDIER greeted with a wave.

"So, why am I here? Not that I'm disappointed to see you guys." Their smiling faces turned into a frowning one.

"Cloud. We need your help." Zack's normally cheerful voice turned serious, making the mako eyed clone of Sephiroth raise an eyebrow, willing to listen.

"Or rather, another world." Aerith said to him.

"Another world?" Repeated the blond swordsman, raising an eyebrow.

"You see... there are other worlds similar to Gaia that needs in dire help." Zack began.

"It's called the Empire. They are under civil unrest and suffering. It is a world full of strife and hatred. It's a place full of bad people. Every day, people suffer because of how messed up the corrupt government was." Cloud was shocked with Aerith's words.

"And the people in the Empire need your help, Cloud. They need a hero. Someone who can bring the Empire out of the darkness and into the light." The blond warrior cold only raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"But I'm only one man. How can I make an impact?" Cloud asked his late friends.

"You have defeated enemies that can destroy Gaia, along with your friends. But I don't want to drag them into his, so I only requested for your help." Aerith admitted, looking away.

"Cloud. I know that you're tired of fighting, and I know that you just want to settle down. But please, consider this. I know that you have been through a lot, but understand that some of these people can relate to your pain." Zack pleaded his best friend.

"But I..." Cloud didn't say anything. Save other worlds? Just what kind of crazy stuff is this?

"I know that you always wanted to be a hero, Cloud. Well, now's your chance. You can prevent many innocents from dying if you choose to intervene. I don't blame you for our passing. We chose to put ourselves in the line of fire for you and your friends. Trust me, Cloud. You can do it. We've never stopped believing in you once and we won't stop now." Aerith said to him.

With every word they say, determination and fire filled his heart. He willingly took up his sword to fight for not only his friends, but also the world. For the past two years, he's done nothing but run away from his problems. It's time to put it to and end.

"Both of you. Thanks you for sacrifice your life for me. Your passing motivated me to get stronger. Zack, I am your living legacy. As long as I live, I will do anything to protect the people I care about. I'm tired of running away from my problems. Fighting is in my blood. As much as I don't like to get in fights often, with these skills I harbor, I feel like trouble finds me regardless. It was you who inspired me to be a hero, Zack. You and Aerith have given your lives for me. It's only fair that I do the same for you. I accept your mission. Take me wherever you wish to do. As long as I live, no one is dying on my watch. Shirking away from this will not only taint your name, but also for what I stand for." Cloud finished his monologue with determination, his mako blue eyes, once filled with despair and devoid of hope and now filled with determination. The will to fight has returned. His resolve strengthened.

Both smiled at his newfound determination. It seems that he wasn't the same person he was two years ago.

"Thank you, Cloud for doing this. Thank you for putting yourself on the line for the sake of others. Is this your final decision?" Zack asked his friend. Cloud didn't hesitate to say yes.

"Good. Now let us begin." A bright flash of light covered him. Cloud could see the smiling faces of Zack and Aerith before seeing nothing but white.

 **So... yeah. it's a Final Fantasy VII crossover, featuring Cloud Strife as the main character. I was originally gonna have it as a mass X-Over, but I decided to put it in just one verse.**


	2. Life in the Empire

**Sup, my people. Not even a day, and it's already sixty views. Damn, impressive.**

 **Disclaimer: Cloud Strife belongs to Square Enix and Akame ga Kill belongs to their creator. I am just a fanfiction writer who write for my amusement and for the sake of the readers.**

Now, Cloud has seen a lot of crazy shit during his adventures. From defeating one of the most powerful people in Gaia, to beating monsters the size of skyscrapers on a daily basis, almost nothing can surprise him anymore. Yet, he did not expect something such as this.

Both Zack and Aerith sent him on a mission to free the Empire from corruption and darkness. Cloud can tell that they were both guilty of sending him on this mission, especially since they are aware how fucked up his life is. Yet, he willingly took it in stride. No more was the same person who would brood and hide away. He lost the will to fight once. He will ensure that spark will never go out again. He was the legacy of Zack Fair. While not as famous as Sephiroth, he was a friend that Cloud held dear to. It was him that inspired him to be a hero. He himself named Cloud his legacy. He may not be a successful hero as his late friend, but he will make sure to live up to Zack's expectations. Shirking away from this would betray everything he cares for, as despite his brooding nature, he won't do anything while an Empire falls to darkness. All shall know the power of Cloud Strife. Especially to those that deem him as an enemy.

Opening his eyes, he recognized that he was no longer within the Lifestream. He saw tall trees reaching almost as far as the sky. Vegetation were everywhere. The mako eyed warrior can smell the fresh scent that is air. Seeing his chosen Fusion Sword on the ground, planted blade first, he picked it up, feeling the familiar weight of the broadsword upon his shoulders. While the weapon is deemed too heavy or too big to carry, Cloud can swing it and carry it as if it was made of mere wood. Disassembling it, he put them in their respective sheaths, save for the main blade, which he kept on his right hand. His alert mako blue eyes checked his surroundings for any sense of threat. Oddly enough, there was none.

 _"Well, it smells better than Edge here, considering there aren't any mako factories here."_ Thought the blond swordsman. While he has explored Gaia and has seen many places upon his adventures, he doesn't recognize this forest. It seems that whatever Zack and Aerith did, he truly is from another world. Yet, now is not the time for sightseeing, as he was assigned by a mission from his late friends. Destroy the corruption plaguing the lands. And redeem himself as a hero once more.

 _"I'm no hero. Never was. But that doesn't mean I can't change things for the better."_ The spiky blond thought once more, remembering the deaths he had witnessed and the hardships he endured. He was glad that no one endured the same shit he went through, otherwise people would want to kill themselves out of misery or the fact that they lost their minds.

His musings were interrupted when he heard a growl behind him. Being of no stranger to combat, he tensed, but made no sound. Cloud closed his eyes and focused, waiting for the right time to strike. The air was tense. Except for the strong wind billowing behind him, no sound was made.

Then the beast made his move. He struck, faster than lighting, his claws ready to pounce at him. But Cloud was more than ready. Readying the main blade, he turned around and slashed, cleanly bifurcating the poor animal. Swiping it a few times to remove the blood that stained his clothes, he rested the main blade on his shoulders, inspecting the creature behind him. It had yellow fur, with ram horns and blood red eyes. It was as big as a full grown tiger, with sharp fangs and claws that can rend a man's flesh with excruciating pain.

Suddenly, the One Winged Angel Slayer felt a rumbling within his stomach.

 _"Oh, yeah. I haven't eaten in a while, have I? I wish Tifa was here to cook."_ Cloud thought, missing his childhood friend. Her cooking was among one of the best in Seventh Heaven, and it was also one of the main reasons why people come to the bar. That, and the fact that... well she's pretty attractive. The blond swordsman noticed that whenever men walk by, they eye her... well endowed chest. Cloud swore he even saw a few guys drooling over her body. In other words, they have no chill whatsoever. Growing with her, he was used to it so it didn't really affect him that much. Though Reno tends to chastise him about why he won't and to his words, "hit that." One, Cloud has respect for women. He would be more than willing to give them space when needed, and he also tends to get flustered whenever he ends up in a.. raunchy scenario when it comes to the opposite sex. Oddly enough, women tend to... get close to him, like he's some chick magnet, much to the jealousy of Reno. It also doesn't help that one time, when he was making deliveries, he went to a house, which he didn't know was a bachelorette party. Long story short, they thought he was the stripper and was forced to book it before getting raped by potentially drunk, horny women. Let's just say nothing was left of his clothes except his boxers on the way home. Boy did that end up on the Internet for quite a while. Two, both of them are best friends. While many thought that they would end up together, it truth, they were just people who were close to each other.

Shaking his head, he stopped reminiscing about his "chick magnet moments." To this day, he is still debating if it is a blessing or a curse. Seeing the Danger Beast on the ground and the fact that he has no other choice, considering he's doesn't have money, well the right kind of money, he prepared a makeshift grill out of wood. Thanks to a Firaga Materia stored in his pocket, he was able to start a fire with no problem. He removed the fur from its body, which he could sell for some money when needed. Putting in the two pieces of the Danger Beast on a long stick, he waited for them to cook for a few minutes.

 _"It's a good thing I've been through worse than this."_ Thought the blond swordsman. Seeing how one of the pieces were cooked, he took it out of the makeshift grill and started eating. The meat tasted juicy and it could just melt in your mouth.

 _"Needs a bit of salt, but otherwise it'll do."_

"Hey, there. Mind if I have some of this meat?" Cloud saw someone come out. It was a boy, slightly younger than him with brown curly shoulder length hair. His eyes were a deep green, like Aerith's. His height was average, but he was a few inches shorter than him. He wore a white, high collar jacket over his tan sweater, a pair of black combat boots and black pants, along with black gloves. The mako eyed warrior analyzed him for a minute, trying to see what he was up to. After seeing his intentions were true, he nodded his head and let him sit down next to him. The boy smiled and grabbed the other piece of meat, happily munching away.

The boy eat ravenously, his teeth digging into the sinewy flesh of the beast. The spiky blond couldn't help but snicker over how hungry he was.

"Hey, what's so funny?" The boy asked him.

"Nothing. I didn't think you were really that hungry." Said Cloud nonchalantly.

"Hey, I haven't eaten anything since breakfast! Cut me some slack." He continued to eat the piece of meat, enjoying the flavor with every bite.

"Thanks for the food, uh..." the boy couldn't speak further, as he doesn't know the swordsman's name.

"Cloud Strife." He introduced to the boy.

"Seriously, what kind of a name is, "Cloud?"" The boy snickers, but he stopped when he felt a death glare baring right through him.

"Uh, sorry about that." The boy said.

"It's fine." Waved off Cloud.

"Well, the name's Tatsumi, nice to meet you!" The aforementioned boy greeted in a cheerful manner. The boy named Tatsumi was able to finish off his share of the meat. Cloud decided to get up and take his leave, only to remember that since he's on a different world, he has no idea where to go. He could wander around and hope for the best, but he has little geographical knowledge of this world. Not to mention, with his above average skills as a swordsman, he can potentially attract unwanted attention. And if what Zack and Aerith said are true, then many bad people would come for him. To either recruit him or kill him.

"Hey, do you know where we are?" The mako eyed warrior asked his newfound acquaintance.

"Oh! We're a few miles close to the Imperial Capital. Do you want me to show you the way?" Cloud nodded his head. It wouldn't hurt to tag along with the boy, especially since he's walking in blind.

"Great! Follow me and we'll get there before nighttime." And so both the senior warrior and the village boy walked to the road of the Imperial Captial.

 ** _A few hours of boring walking later..._**

It has been a few hours at most since Tatsumi was leading Cloud towards the Imperial Capital. Just then, something bristled out of the ground, threatening to break. The beast then climbed out of the rocky earth. It's skin was molten brown and its eyes were yellow. It had a reptilian body, but it was too huge to be classified a lizard.

"Aha! A Class One Danger Beast! The Earth Dragon! This should be easy." Tatsumi took out his short sword and charged into the fray, weapon at the ready. Before the Earth, Dragon attacked, Tatsumi saw a blur of black and silver coming in front of him. Tatsumi saw the spiky blond dismember its arms causing blood to flow out of the stump of the deep wound. Cloud gave him a look.

"What are you waiting for!?" He shouted towards him. Tatsumi got the message, nodding his head and jumping towards the Danger Beast. He cleanly sliced its head off, the dismembered body part falling into the ground, blood coming out of its neck.

 _"Hmm. He's got potential."_ Were the former SOLDIER's thoughts.

"Oh, thank you for saving us." Cloud whirled around to see two men, about middle aged driving a carriage.

 _"Huh. This world isn't technologically advanced as Gaia. This could cause some problems."_

"Yeah, no problem." Tatsumi gave them a cheerful grin.

"Say, do you want a ride with us? You know, to say thank you." One of the men riding the carriages offered to the duo. Cloud wanted to turn them down, but realized that they needed to get there by nighttime, otherwise according to Tatsumi, the stronger Danger Beasts will pop up and will not hesitate to hunt for humans. Reluctantly, he accepted their offer, as did Tatsumi. Both fighters sat next to the men. They drove them to the Capital. While Cloud has taken on powerful enemies, human or otherwise, it would be a reckless thing to get unneeded attention right off the bat.

"So, why are you going to the capital?" One of the drivers asked Tatsumi curiously.

"I need to make a name for myself. It's every village boy's dream you know!" He said cheerfully to them. Just seeing Tatsumi reminded Cloud of how he acted before Sephiroth burnt down his home village, Nibelheim; Cheerful and optimistic. Of course, after all was said and done... he was never the same. The blond swordsman couldn't help but smile slightly at how his past self resembled Tatsumi.

"Yeah... well good luck doing that." One of the men said to him, making the green eyed boy look at him in confusion.

"What does that mean?" He asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Many people try to go to the Empire to gain glory and fortune. But the Capital is full of monsters. People who kill, steal and rape for pleasure." From his tone, it seems like he isn't messing with him.

 _"Zack and Aerith are right then. This is a messed up world."_ Cloud closed his eyes and processed the information. He has seen fucked up people in Gaia... but there isn't a lot of people that would sink that low.

"Thanks for the advice... but my people need me! I... no we are gonna help out own village!" Tatsumi said to the man with determination.

 _"Yep. He really reminds me of how I was back when I wanted to be a SOLDIER."_ Thought Cloud with a small smile. It seems the spiky blond might be able to relate to him to some extent. But from the thinking of it, it seems their reasons for joining the military are different. Cloud's reason was to impress his childhood friend, Tifa. He had a little crush on her back then. A pity that she did not notice. As the years went by, his feelings for Tifa waned. Right now, he just considers her as a friend, someone close to her.

He sighed, thinking about how his luck with women really sucks **(AN: Yeah, right. He's basically a walking chick magnet that can make Lubbock want to kill him.)**. Though contrary to his thinking, women are fond of him. It's just thanks to his brooding nature, he doesn't give a damn about what other people think of him, be it positive or otherwise. It's also a good thing that he doesn't pay attention about what women think of him because more than fifty percent of the women that he saved... well let's just say their thoughts are on the scale of mature. **(AN: Yep, Lubbock would definitely try to curse him for his luck with women.)**. If the part where he was nearly raped in the little bachelorette party counts for anything. Though Reno tends to shake him out of jealousy when he told him that little tidbit. Did Reno want to get raped or something?

"Cloud. CLOUD!" Tatsumi's voice snapped him out of his musings, causing him to look at the emerald eyed boy.

"We're here." Tatsumi pointed at the Imperial Gate. Cloud nodded his head and went off with him.

"Oh. They also left us some money as well. As thanks for beating the Earth Dragon." Tatsumi threw a medium sized pouch at him, which the mako eyed warrior caught without looking. While his actions in saving the two drivers were small, it was a start. To be a hero that he failed to be in Gaia.

"So... this is the Imperial Capital." Said Cloud aloud, scanning the city. It looked well enough, with decent houses and decent living conditions. Yet, that is only the outside view of the capital.

"Yep! I'm gonna go to the military recruitment office. Catch you later, Cloud!" Tatsumi walked towards a building. The spiky blond decided to walk off to another direction, thankful for his fellow village boy's assistance.

 _"Hmm. If technology here is dated back, then I can't just use my phone here. Looks like I'll have to get to a nearby bar and find a any to make some cash."_ Thought Cloud. Since these Danger Beasts can be hunted, some people were willing to pay good money for their disappearance. Luckily, they have an expert swordsman on their hands.

The One Winged Angel Slayer then saw Tatsumi get booted out of the building.

"And stay out!" He yelled to the boy, slamming the door behind him. Shaking his head, he offered a hand to Tatsumi.

"You got rejected?" His fellow village boy took his hand and Cloud helped him up.

"Yeah." He scratched his head sheepishly, a bit disappointed.

"Maybe you shouldn't have caused a scene there. Don't get too cocky." The mako eyed warrior reprimanded his fellow swordsman.

Tatsumi was about to say something, but a feminine voice interrupted him.

"Hey there!" She greeted cheerfully. Cloud craned his neck and saw a woman a few centimeters shorter than him. She had golden eyes and her hair was short, save for the longs bangs that framed her face. She wore a rather revealing outfit, consisting of a black tube top, along with a white scarf and boots. What was most significant about her was her... large breats, which rivaled the size of Tifa's. The mako eyed warrior saw Tatsumi staring at the huge globes at her chest, promting him to smack the back of his head to reboot his hormone induced mind. After being with Tifa since childhood, seeing this woman didn't really affect him. He would be lying if he says this woman is ugly.

"What the hell was that for!?" The boy protested, glaring at Cloud.

"Watch where your eyes wander." The spiky blond said to Tatsumi.

The women giggled at the scene. "So, you need a hand? I can help you out." The woman said cheerfully.

"He tried to get into the Army, but he got kicked out for being too cocky." Cloud stifled a snicker.

"That wasn't true... much." Tatsumi hang his head and shame.

"So... you want to know how to get into the army?" The woman asked them. Tatsumi's eyes were filled with hope, while Cloud's eyes narrowed with suspicion. He knows this girl is up to something, but didn't want to jump the gun, so he played along.

"Treat me to a meal, then we can talk." She said to Tatsumi, before invading Cloud's personal space.

"And you can come too, spiky." The woman said seductively, making him roll his eyes, unaffected by her direct flirting. She pouted that she didn't get the reaction she had hoped for.

 _"Seriously, is every girl gonna keep calling me that?"_ Thought the blue eyed blond.

 ** _Minutes later..._**

The woman ate quite a lot and she was still pretty fit. She drank a mug full of alcohol, which made her slightly drunk.

"Come on, handsome about a drink." The woman smiled cattily at her fellow blond.

"Not interested." Were his only words. She pouted, but did not press him further

"Come on, what about you Tatsumi!"

"No thanks. Just tell me how to get into the army!" The village boy demanded, losing his patience.

"Well, I know a guy, but only if you have the coin." Cloud narrowed his eyes, suspicious of her, but said nothing. Tatsumi, being naive fell for her trap and was more than happy to give her all his savings, plus the amount he earned when he hunted that Danger Beast. The moment he set the bag of money down on the table, the woman's eyes lit up like a Christmas Tree, confirming the blue eyed blond's suspicions.

 _"She's swindling him isn't he."_ Cloud couldn't help but shake his head at his companion's naïveté.

"Tatsumi, I don't think this is a good idea." He whispered to the green eyed boy.

"Why not? No one can suspect her." He replied back to him.

"It's your funeral, I suppose."

She greedily took the money. Cloud swore he saw drool coming down her mouth.

"Great! Wait here and I'll be back in no time!" The woman sprinted, leaving both the blond swordsman and the village boy alone.

Cloud wasn't one to pry, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Are there other people coming with you?" Asked the spiky blond.

"Yeah, their names were Sayo and Ieyasu. Both of them were childhood friends. But I haven't seen them since we were separated." Tatsumi said to Cloud, giving him a sad smile.

 _"Unlike me, he actually had people to support him when he was young. Me, I had no one..."_ Cloud's eyed went downcast for a second, remembering all the bad shit he went through in Nibelheim. Like the time when he decided to visit Tifa, her father was there. He blamed him for making his daughter fall into a coma, despite the fact that it was by her insistence that they both go to Mt. Nibel. As a result, he made Cloud eat on the floor. Without a plate. Being a cheerful young lad, he took it in stride and never complained. When he thought about the memory, he couldn't help but feel bitter because he was blamed for something he didn't do.

Tatsumi saw the downcast look on his companion's face. "Hey, you alright?" Cloud shook his head and looked at his fellow village boy.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said, shaking the bad memories out of his head.

 ** _Hours later..._**

Both village boys were still inside the tavern, when one of the waiters popped up.

"Sirs, we'll be closing in about five minutes." She said to the duo.

"Wait, someone is coming-"

"No, Tatsumi. You were robbed of your money." He told the brunette.

"WHAAAAAAAT!?" An anime style pissed off look was on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" He demanded, shaking his companion's collar.

"I tried to tell you, but you fell for it." He said blankly to him. An anime depression cloud fell over his head.

"Great. How are we gonna get money now?" Complained Tatsumi.

"Do you have money on you?" He asked Cloud.

"I do, but not enough to get us a hotel." He couldn't help but chuckle at his companion's bad luck.

"Those boobs- I mean that woman!" Cloud rolled his eyes, catching the first part. He really couldn't blame him for ogling, though.

"I'll report her, damn it!"

"You can't. You brought yourself on this. Don't be too naive next time." Tatsumi, seeing the logic in his response just leaned down a wall.

"Yeah, I guess." Cloud then began to close his eyes.

"Wait?! We're sleeping here?"

"What choice do we have? We don't have the money, so this is our only option." The blond swordsman said to him.

"Well, if you can do it then may as well." Tatsumi began to lean on a wall as well, closing his eyes. Just as when sleep would've whacked him, another female voice was heard.

"It looks like you two are in need of help. If you want, you can sleep at my place." A girl perhaps younger or the same age as Tatsumi appeared in front of the duo. She had shoulder length blond hair with blue eyes, but unlike Cloud's, hers weren't glowing or as a deep shade of blue. She wore a dress, fit for someone of either royalty or someone with lots of money.

Cloud opened his eyes and analyzed her. She seemed friendly enough, with her nice and kind smile. But for some odd reason, Cloud can't help but feel like there's something off about her. It was as if she had a hidden agenda of some sort. Years of fighting hardened and sharpened his warrior senses. He can tell if someone is telling the truth or lying. Yet, she seems to hide it well enough, but something about that girl seems to bother him so much. His instincts were to interrogate and, if push comes to shove take her life, but he didn't want to jump the gun, lest he makes himself a wanted person.

Deciding to play along for now, he said, "we don't have enough money to get us a hotel." The girl giggled.

"You would not be here, then would you?" he clenched his fists tightly, but said nothing. He needed to keep calm and cool.

"You should accept Lady Aria's generosity, you know." A guard riding the carriage said to him. Sighing, he had no choice. Plus, he wanted to see what was bugging him so much about that girl.

"I guess it's better than sleeping outside." Said Cloud, relenting. This could give him the chance to check out the house at nighttime.

"Great! Hop on to my carriage and go!" The girl now known as Aria walked towards the carriage, with the duo following behind.

"Tatsumi. Keep a look out for that girl." The boy was suddenly confused.

"What, why? She was nice enough to let us stay right?" If this guy was in his world, it would chew him inside out for being so naive.

"No normal person would just invite us to their house. Just keep an eye for anything suspicious." He ordered his fellow village boy. Tatsumi, seeing nothing wrong with her persona, but he nonetheless heeded his companion's warning, nodding his head.

 **Aria's house...**

"Thank you for allowing us to stay." Both people bowed their heads in thanks, though Cloud's was less genuine and more of a social obligation. If he needs to explore the house, he needs to play along.

The mother and father invited them to eat. Tatsumi talked about his dreams of being an Imperial Captain, so that he could raise enough money to support his village. They tried to ask Cloud questions as well, but he kept his answers at a minimum.

 _"The more I stay here, the more I feel like there's something these three are hiding."_ Thought Cloud, keeping his eyes closed. He can't explain it, but he can sense malignant intent within them... it was small, but noticeable enough for him to pick it up. It was as if they reeked of evil. Glancing at Tatsumi, he saw that the green eyed boy wasn't the least bit suspicious of the three members of the family. If what he think is true, then he would have to get Tatsumi out of here. While he only knew him for a day, if his friends were to find out he died... it would be something he would regret the most.

 **Daytime...**

Aria asked Tatsumi if he wanted to accompany her. He was more than happy to oblige. Cloud turned down her offer, seeing as how he was still suspicious of her. He opted to walk away and find a nearby tavern. But the moment Cloud turned to a corner, what he saw made him cringe.

Thousands of people were tied to a cross, hopelessly bound by rope, with no chance of escaping. Even if they were able to escape, none would be able to survive falling down because they were really high up. Arrows were stuck to their chest, causing blood to spurt out to their clothes. Some were groaning in pain, hoping for the misery to end while many were dead, their bodies lifeless.

 _"Who would do this..."_ the blond mentally thought, seeing the graphic image in front of him. Not even Shinra was this cruel. While yes, they have killed people, they give their targets a swift death, instead of an agonizing one.

 _"I never thought I would see a government more cruel than Shinra..."_ Cloud even saw a few children seeing the people bound to the cross, some even crying, perhaps because the people up there were either their parents or someone close to them. He clenched his fists in anger, but didn't say a word. He wanted to help these people... but he couldn't.

 _"No! I mustn't let this get to me. I can't back down now. Zack chose me as his legacy. I'll be damned if I let him down. I chose this path. I wanted to be a hero. A hero's journey is never easy, but I have to take it. For the people of the capital, this has to end."_

With newfound determination, he marched onto the tavern, hoping to not see such a gruesome sight ever again. He entered the area, where the barkeep was waiting.

"Welcome. May I fetch you a drink?" He offered.

"I was wondering if there are any Danger Beasts in need of hunting." He requested.

"Ah, yes. They're over there right by that bulletin board." He pointed to the said board behind him. Nodding his head in thanks, he went to the board and saw quite a plethora of Danger Beasts that needed to be killed. The tougher the monster, the more money he'll acquire.

As he was scanning the posters, he also saw "Wanted Night Raid Posters." He took a close look at examining each and every one of them. It seems that these were drawn, rather than added with a picture.

 _"Hmm. If the Empire is corrupt, then I suppose this is what's close to being the good guys, then."_ Thought Cloud. He has heard rumors of Night Raid before, none of them good. But from what he can also pick up, they only go after those who are affiliated with the government. While he doesn't like killing people, after seeing people being tied to a cross, bleeding to death, he can see why they would take such drastic actions. In a world like this, it's Kill or be killed. He also saw a newspaper tied to the board. Curious, he picked it up.

 **As of the past few weeks, many people affiliated with the Imperial Government have been killed. Some say it was of natural causes, while other say it's by Night Raid.**

 _"They must be sparking a rebellion in order to fight back."_ It would make sense, since whoever is ruling this country would allow such horror could traumatize the minds of the people, especially the younger ones. This world really is twisted. Just seeing this reminds him of when he was with AVALANCHE, fighting Shinra. From the sounds of it, Night Raid is this world's AVALANCHE while the Empire is this world's Shinra. This is just like his life in Gaia. But multiply the brutality by one hundred.

He saw an S-Class Danger Beast that needed to be hunted. Curiously, he picked it up.

 **Warning: The Chimera is a very powerful Danger Beast with the qualities of multiple predators. Take at your own risk.**

 _"Screw it. If I gotta, I gotta."_ Picking it up, he went outside, but not before he bought a map from the barkeep. Unknown to him, two people were watching him. While he did promise not to garner any attention, a Danger Beast hunt might be a safe thing to do, considering there are others that are good enough to take on a beast this tough.

"So, this was the one you were talking about?" A girl with below average height asked the same woman who met Tatsumi and Cloud a few days ago. Her hair was tied into two long twintails. Her clothes mostly consisted of pink.

"Yeah. There's something off about him." Admitted the other woman.

"Off, how? As in he works for the Empire?"

The blond beauty shook her head. "No, nothing of the sort. If anything, he hates the government. When he saw the mass execution, he looked like he was reminiscing bad memories. I'll go follow him, to be sure. But unless he works for the Empire, I'll leave him alone." The buxom blonde paid for her food and went to follow him, leaving the other behind.

After examining the map, it seems he went to the right place. It was a clearing, with nothing but grass. A huge makehshift nest rested upon the middle of the area. The moment Cloud entered the area, his target came.

It was the damn ugliest monster he has laid his eyes upon. It had the body of a lion, a snake and a dragon with dragon wings protruding out its back. The body of a snake is its tail. It was also the size of a full grown Behemoth, which is to say, really, really big.

 _"Huh. Nothing I've dealt with before."_ Taking out the main blade, he immidiately charged at the hybrid creature. It responded by charging at him, surprisingly fast despite its size. He jumped over the creature and severed one of the goat's horn, making it stagger slightly. Just then, the dragon part of the body inhaled in air for a few seconds, giving Cloud the time to strike. But the moment he reached the target, it spewed out fire, which he barely dodged. The attacked singed the nearby trees and leaves, leaving patches of burns on the ground.

 _"Great. It can also breathe fire. Wonderful."_ Thought Cloud sarcastically. He took out the impact blade and tried to slice off its snake-tail, but it dodged at the last second and spit out poison, which nearly burned him.

 _"So all these creatures have a mind of their own, huh..."_ Thanks to their junctioned bodies, they can attack from all sides. Not to mention, each creature, even the snake-tail have minds of their own, so each animal can make up for its own weaknesses. Cloud can see why the chimera would be a hard fight indeed. The snake can cover any attempt to sneak attack, so getting behind won't be a good idea. The dragon can just burn him, along with his clothes. It's also capable of flight, because of its wings.

Cloud was able to injure its legs and claws, making it wobble from the wounds it received in its feet. He drove the blade into its midsection, making it roar in pain, but not before Cloud decapitated the lion head, rolling to the green grass. The snake spewed poison in an attempt to get him off, which was successful as he back flipped away, needing to avoid the poisonous has it spewed out of its mouth. The goat head bashed at him, causing him to get sent flying, but he was able to recover, planting his feet on the tree before slamming onto it. The tree cracked slightly from the impact, bit otherwise, it stood still.

Taking a new approach, the chimera took flight, taking to the skies. Cloud opted to follow it, jumping from the ground at a velocity that broke the speed of sound. The chimera tried to fight off the incoming human bullet, but it was too fast for it to handle. Fusing two swords together, he vertically sliced off the snake-tail, ending its life and making it spew poison and blood from the stump. After seeing it stagger a bit from the hit, he divebombed at full speed, as fast as a bulletin train. The moment he came close to the mutant beast, Cloud effortlessly bifurcated it in half, leaving the body parts in mid air.

He backflipped gracefully and fell on his own two feet, which should've shattered his kneecaps and erupted his organs due to him falling from a great height. Catching his trusty weapon, he disassembled it into two pieces and left the area, making a beeline for the tavern. The buxom blond and another girl was checking him out. It was a girl with lavender hair and purple eyes and wore a purple Chinese Qipao dress that exposed her legs.

"Damn, he's good. Not even I can take down something that fast in minutes." She admitted, seeing the whole thing unfold.

"Yeah. He's pretty good at killing, too." Said the lavender haired woman. The blond then proceeded to carry the top half of the chimera.

"Why are you carrying that?" The one with glasses asked her.

"Akame's gonna be happy when she sees this. She's been wanting to eat the chimera for a while now."

 **With Cloud...**

He returned to the tavern, with the hunt completed. Thanks to it being an S-class hunt, he received a good amount of money from it, more than enough to stay in a hotel for at least a month or two. Cloud now needed to go back to Aria's house... and find out what has been bothering him about her this whole time.

 **Nighttime...**

It was already midnight. The guard were on duty protecting the mansion. Fortunately, they were stupid enough to not have any inside the mansion, leaving him to walk around freely, provided one of the family members did not spot her. As Cloud was walking around, he heard a voice behind the door.

"Yes... yes... most fabulous indeed."

 _"That sounded like the mother."_ Cloud thought, apprehension going through his entire body.

"Indeed, I did not know that girl would survive like that." Said the husband, both of them were drinking wine happily.

"Yeah. The way we tortured her. The way we whipped her. And we couldn't be more proud of our daughter. She literally tore that girl apart with that whip. And that boy as well. Man, did they put up a good fight. Even after we drugged them." Alarm bells started ringing through the blond's head.

 _"Wait..so they were kidnapping people and pretending to take care of them, only to be tortured? I knew something bad was happening here... but I didn't think the daughter would be involved as well. That driver was right. The Empire is full of monsters."_ Realized the blond swordsman. An idea hit him.

 _"Their room. They gotta have something there that I can show Tatsumi. I need to get him out of here."_ Dashing at a fast pace, he went upstairs and went straight at the end of the hallway. He took the liberty to memorize this place after they took him and Tatsumi in, just in case his suspicions were correct. Indeed he was.

Opening the parent's quarters, he tried to find something suspicious, but nothing came up... until he saw a medium think red book that said, "Guide on how to torture." Picking it up, he rifled through the pages, searching for any clues.

 _"This is it. The evidence to show that these guys aren't innocent._ " As he flipped through the pages, he saw two names that made his eyes widen.

 _"Says and Ieyasu..those are the friends that Tatsumi was talking about... which means... damn it, they got to them! I need to tell him, now!"_ Cloud saw Tatsumi's bedroom, which fortunately was left unlocked. He hated to wake him up, but with his friends in danger, he couldn't do anything about it.

"Tatsumi! We need to get out of here." He shook the boy awake, making him open his eyes.

"Huh, Cloud? What's wrong?" He asked him.

"Take a look at this." He handed him the book he got from the room. He did what was asked, flipping through the pages, seeing pictures of people hanged, whipped and/or decapitated.

"No... what is this?" He asked Cloud.

"This is the book of that girl's mom. She's been keeping track of the people she killed. And look at this." He leafed through the pages, until he found the one he was looking for. He handed the book to Tatsumi, which he took with shaky hands. The moment he saw it, his eyes became wide with shock.

"You mean... all this time..." Cloud nodded his head.

"Yes. It was them that kidnapped your friends and holed them up and tortured them. I'm sorry, Tatsumi." His voice laced with worry and concern.

"No... Sayo... Ieyasu..." his eyes were on the verge of tears. Cloud felt guilty for telling him this grave news, but he needed to know this. To show that this family isn't as good as they appear,

"Hey. There might be a chance that we can still save them. Come on." Cloud urged Tatsumi.

"But... they might be dead..."

"We won't know until we find out. Right now, we have to get over there. Tatsumi, I know you're concerned for your friends. You can't just wallow like this." While Cloud isn't a pep-talker, he can greatly relate to Tatsumi about his own problems.

"You're right. Let's get to the storehouse. According to the book, it's south of here." Cloud nodded his head, only to be stopped by Tatsumi.

"Why are you helping me? You could have just went without me." Asked the green eyed boy.

"I know what it's like. To lose people you care about. I don' t want you to endure the same fate I did." Cloud then rushed out, Tatsumi followed behind him.

"You two! Where are you going!?" Both froze and saw the mom and dad behind the duo.

Instead of running away, Cloud's eyes were shadowed, hiding his blue eyes underneath.

"Who do you think you are..." his voice was low, barely containing the fury laced within them.

"What gives you the right to hurt someone they care about?!" He shouted towards both of them.

"Oh, you mean that Sayo girl and Ieyasu boy. They fell right to our trap. Man, they were so gullible, thinking we would,actually give them money. Instead, they were our test subjects to torture!" Both were laughing evilly, neither having regrets over their actions. Just seeing it made his blood boil.

Tatsumi gripped his weapon tightly. "How dare you... HURT MY FRIENDS!" In blind anger, he took out his short sword and cleaved the father in half, his upper body sent flying. The mother looked at him in shock.

"Please...don't hurt me... I'm sorry that I caused trouble and I tortured those people..." Her eyes were full of tears, but Cloud felt no pity for her. Especially since she decided to torture Tatsumi's friends.

"Tell that to the people you and your husband murdered." He shoved the main blade onto her face, before cutting her in half, his blade specked with blood. While he hates killing, these two seemed to deserve it, because they torture people as a hobby. The same buxom blond from earlier saw the whole scene unfold. Though it was Cloud that got her attention the most.

 _"Hmm. Mama likes."_ She licked her lips, eyeing him hungrily.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Tatsumi nodded his head and followed him. After a few minutes, they ended up on the storehouse. Nodding his head, he opened the door, where both boys saw Aria, whipping Sayo badly.

"Get away from her!" Tatsumi yelled, grabbing her by the collar and with enough strength, throw her out into the open night. Aria saw nothing but deep hatred in their eyes.

"Tell me... WHY DID YOU CAPTURE MY FRIENDS!?" Demanded Tatsumi, allowing her to stand up.

"Oh, you wanna know why? It was because of that stupid girl. How the hell can she have such nice hair!? She's such a commoner. That bitch does not deserve such a hairstyle." Unfortunately, that answer pissed both of them off even more, their anger evident through their eyes and tense posture. Aria swore she is seeing the silhouette of a wolf, ready to bite her head off.

"Hey, Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's get this over with."

"Way ahead of you." They took out their weapons and slash diagonally, making a huge red X on her chest, ignoring her pleas to let her live. Frankly, she doesn't deserve it.

"I see that you've done your job for us." Both guys turned around and saw a group of people. One had long hair and red eyes. She wore a sleeveless black dress with a white collar. Another had green eyes and a green jacket, with fingerless gloves. The tallest one donned grayish-white armor with yellow eyes. The shortest one was the girl with pink eyes and twintails. But they recognized one of its members. It was the woman that swindled Tatsumi days ago.

"Wha- you're those boobs from days ago." Cloud punched him again, earning a glare from him.

"Look anywhere besides her chest." He scolded him.

"Come on, I'll see how your friends are doing." Cloud walked into the storehouse, which was filled with torture racks, whips and any medieval style torture equipment. It reeked of blood and dead bodies, making him gag from the smell, but he steeled himself. He saw the girl from the photo. One of Sayo's friends. She had long black hair and hair a hair clip on her head. She didn't wear any type of clothing, and her body was badly injured, possibly from all the torture she went though.

 _"So... this is the dark side of the Empire, huh?"_ Cloud thought, scanning the area.

Freeing the chains that held her, he let her down easily. Fishing out a Phoenix Down, her laid it upon her chest. As soon as it touched her skin, a bright orange light emitted from the feather. Slowly, it descended upon Sayo until it made contact with her. The moment it did, a bright light exploded inside the storehouse. When the light cleared, her wounds were gone. A few scars were on her body, but that was the only evidence that remained of her torture.

She opened her eyes. "Huh... where am I?"

"You're fine. You'll be safe." He assured Sayo.

"Please! You have to rescue Ieyasu! They drugged him so much. I think he has the Lubora virus." Cloud nodded his head. Since that he was suffering via disease instead of wounds, a Phoenix Down won't do them much good. He rushed for something inside his pocket, something to heal him. He then held a vial the size of his fist onto his hand. Inside was a clear-greenish Iiquid sloshing inside. Cloud recognized this anywhere.

 _"Lifestream water... Aerith must've sent this to me before I came here."_ He opened the vial and place a few drops of Ieyasu's body. Eventually, the green push liquid began traveling through his body, curing the disease. While it is supposed to be deemed incurable, the Lifestream was capable of curing even the deadliest of diseases. His breathing became more relaxed. But he was still unconscious.

"Hey, are they alright?" Tatsumi came into the scene and saw Sayo standing. He hugged her tightly.

"I thought I lost you..." he said sadly to his childhood friend.

"You would have, if it wasn't for spiky over there." Cloud's eye twitched at the nickname, but said nothing, lest he ruin the tender moment.

"Ieyasu will be unconscious for a bit. Otherwise, he'll be okay." He told Tatsumi. The boy gave him a grateful look.

"Thank you, Cloud. For saving my friends. I couldn't thank you enough. I wish I wasn't so naive..." Cloud gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. Your friends are safe, that's what matters." He smiled slightly.

"Oh, man. I was hoping to kill that woman. That bitch got what she deserves." The busty blonde walked in on them, as the rest of her team.

"Sorry to rain on your parade..." Cloud crossed his arms.

"The name's Leone. And this girl is Akame." She pointed at the woman with the black sleeveless dress.

"I've been watching you, for some time, spiky. Seems you got the skills indeed. How about you join Night Raid?" Offered Leone.

"Not interested." He made an attempt to walk away, only for a hand to grab his shirt.

"Oh, no handsome. I think, you meant yes." She said seductively to him, making him sweatdrop.

"Same goes for you, newbie." Leone grabbed Tatsumi as well, pulling him along. Cloud was able to free himself of her grip and go to Sayo,

"Can you walk?" He asked her. She tried to, only to fall.

"I got you. Don't worry about it." He carried her bridal style, making her blush slightly. The man in the armor proceeded to pick up Ieyasu, who was now sleeping.

"You're late!" The twintailed sniper known as Mine came onto the roof. Who are these two?" She pointed at Cloud at Tatsumi.

"These are our new members!" Leone said cheerfully.

"I did not agree on this." Cloud complained.

"Neither did I." Said Tatsumi.

"Give it up. When Leone sets her mind on something, she isn't gonna give up." Cloud scoffed, but said nothing.

"Hey, Bulat. You can catch Tatsumi here." She gave him to the guy in armor.

"What are you doing!?"

"Don't worry, it'll be better." Bulat assured.

 _"Why do I have a feeling that sounds uncomfortable?"_ Thought Cloud.

"Alright. Return to base, people!" Everyone then started jumping.

"Need a hand, spiky?" Leone asked him.

"I'm fine." He kept up with the rest of Night Raid, carrying a blushing Sayo in his arms.

"What the hell is happening to me!?" Yelled Tatsumi.

 **So.. yeah. Another chapter done. Sorry if it was a bit on the choppy side. I kind of rushed it. Also, if anyone want Cloud to be paired up with anyone, but it on the reviews. Any girl is accepted, except for Mine and Esdeath. And Seryu. Reviews are appreciated, unless you want to be an ass about it, then do not be here.**


	3. Welcome to Night Raid

**If anyone thinks this is a harem fic, it isn't. The chances of it even happening are slim to none, as no one can imagine the words, "Cloud" and "harem" in the same sentence. If anything, Cloud will feel uncomfortable dealing with multiple women at once. Though Cloud seems like the type to be shy around the opposite sex, especially if he has feelings for the girl. Unless people want this to be a harem fic, (and I am pretty sure that ain't happening anytime soon), this will be monogamy. Not gonna lie, though it would be interesting to see how Cloud can deal with multiple women at once.**

 **Saru: I'll try to lessen the cliche moments in this story and making him cooperate with the others. But there are times where he has to do things alone. Besides, these people haven't witnessed Cloud's real potential as of yet. After all, these people need to know the difference between AgK and FF.**

 **Guest: you wanted an update, here ya go.**

 **ZenithBloodedge: Yeah, he'll have his limit breaks, alright. After all, what's more fun taking out an enemy than using Omnislash?**

 **Ratutz: I think Cloud is a few years older than Tatsumi, yes. And also, in the manga, Tatsumi doesn't die. The ending there is slightly happier compared to the anime. Also, I don't think Akame had feelings for Tatsumi.**

 **I also put up a poll for the pairings. Here are the votes.**

 **Sheele: 2**

 **Akame: 1**

 **Leone: 1**

 **Chelsea: 0**

Cloud was standing at the edge of a cliff, his mako blue eyes looking at the surroundings. His spiky blond hair blew through the wind, his clothes following the same action. While Cloud has seen a lot of traumatizing shit, he couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed by how much evil the Empire holds.

 _"It's messed up for a family to drug and torture prisoners. It's even more messed up for their daughter, who's younger than Tatsumi take part in something so bad. If this world is THAT bad, then I can see why Zack and Aerith sent me here. I have a feeling that those family were just the beginning. Then there's Night Raid. It seems that why want to make a revolution and create a new country from scratch. Seems understandable. The last thing I need is Leone trying to tease me again."_ She reminded him of Tifa, but with a more playful personality. And the fact that they have huge chests as well. Yep, this world is just like his own, but with more fucked up people with even more fucked up minds.

"Hey, Cloud." The swordsman turned around and sat Tatsumi, Ieyasu and Sayo, both now fully clothed and their wounds healed. He raised an eyebrow, curious as to why Tatsumi called him.

"I would like to thank you for saving my friends." Tatsumi bowed as a sign of repect, but Cloud just waved it off.

"Hey, don't mention it. No one deserves to have their friends taken away from them." The blond's face turned somber, remembing the people he failed to save. Zack, Aerith, his mom...

Tatsumi saw the sad look on his fellow village boy's face. "Hey, you okay? You've been doing that lately." Cloud tried to hide his emotions, but it was obvious that whenever he looked at him, his face was one of regret and sorrow.

"It's fine, don't worry about me." He assured him. Tatsumi wasn't convinced, but it was obvious that he doesn't want to answer it, so he just let it go.

"So... what are you two going to do?" Tatsumi asked his childhood friends.

"We don't know yet, but for now, we'll head back to the village. We don't wanna get ourselves in big trouble like before. We might join the Revolutionary Army, though in an effort to support the rebellion. After being tortured in that mansion, I feel like we can somehow make a change." Said Sayo, with Ieyasu nodding in agreement.

"Are you sure you want to stay here, Tatsumi?" He nodded his head.

"I have to. Everyone is counting on me. We need to get our village out of poverty." Cloud smiled slightly at the boy's determination to never give up.

"Oh, are you blushing Sayo?" Ieyasu teased her friend, seeing her giving Cloud side glances. She smacked him at the back of his head.

"Don't mock me!" She yelled at him. The blond swordsman couldn't hide his snicker.

 _"She reminds me a bit of Tifa."_ The mako eyed warrior thought.

 **At the entrance...**

"You sure you wanna stay here, Tatsumi? This is your final answer." Sayo asked his friend.

"Yeah. I'll see you guys back home." Tatsumi said to both of them.

"See ya, Tatsumi." Ieyasu yelled at him. Tatsumi waved back in response.

"Don't tell anyone about this place!" Yelled Tatsumi to his friends.

"We won't!" Both said at the same time.

"You have pretty good friends." Noted Cloud. Tatsumi smiled, this time it was one with happiness.

"Yeah. They can be annoying at times, but we really look out for each other." Cloud nodded his head. Both were looking at the entrance for a few minutes, until Cloud felt himself get submerged within two pillows, courtesy of Leone.

"Hey, there spiky! You decided to join us yet?" Leone asked her fellow blond.

"I'm still thinking about it. I got a lot on my head right now." Said the mako eyed warrior, freeing himself from the prison that was Leone's breasts, with Tatsumi nodding his head in agreement. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"Come on! You're pretty good at kicking ass! With your help, we can turn the tide of the revolution!" Cloud opened his eyes to see Leone invading his personal space.

 _"How can she be so quiet?"_ He thought.

"Well, come on! I'll let you meet the team!" Leone walked ahead of them. Both village boys shook their head, but they nonetheless complied.

"Thanks for letting them go." Tatsumi told Leone.

"It's fine. As long as they don't reveal who we are." She assured Tatsumi.

"After what we did, I highly doubt they will." Said Cloud.

 **Inside the Night Raid base...**

Both guys went inside the living quarters of the base, where they saw a woman with purple hair and equally purple eyes. She wore a Qipao dress that exposed her legs and wore glasses.

"Guys, I want you to meet Sheele." Cloud noticed she was reading the book, "100 Hundred Ways to fix your airheadedness", making him sweatdrop.

"So, have they decided to join us, yet?" Sheele asked them.

"They're a bit hesitant." Leone wrapped an arm around Cloud, making him feel uncomfortable. "Why don't you give them a few words of advice to encourage them?" Sheele pushed up her glasses and looked at them, her gaze cold.

"Well, since we showed the location of our base, if you don't join, we'll have to kill you." She stated bluntly. Tatsumi shivered in fear, but Cloud rolled his eyes, unfazed by the threat.

 _"I've fought worse."_ Thought the spiky blond. After dealing with Sephiroth, nothing can surprise him anymore.

"Whoa, we're letting these two in?!" It was the same twintailed girl days ago, the one that was using a huge gun.

"Chill, Mine. These two have potential. Especially this one right here." She pressed her huge rack against Cloud's arm, making him feel uncomfortable.

"Not until I check them out first!" She looked at Tatsumi for a few seconds.

"This one's too naive." She then saw Cloud, who proceeded to stare back at her, his face stolid. This prompted Mine to glare harder, making Cloud do the same thing, which made her back away slightly.

"Okay, this one's fine." Said Mine, sweating a bit from his intense glare.

Leone laughed. "Wow, didn't think you'd be able to make her sweat, spiky." Her fellow blond didn't say a word. "Also, don't let her attitude get to you. She's like that to everyone." The swordsman nodded his head, but said nothing.

Leone led the duo to the training grounds, where the both saw an extremely muscular man with a hairstyle of a pompadour. From the build and the physique, it was the same guy who was wearing that suit of armor.

"And this is Bulat." When he heard his name, he set down his training weapon and walked towards the duo.

"Ah, these are the two new recruits right? Name's Bulat. Pleasure's mine." He held out a hand, which both Tatsumi and Cloud took.

"Oh, and he's also gay." Tatsumi's face was one of shock while Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't give them the wrong idea... yet." Bulat blushed slightly, making both boys cringe.

 _"I can think of a lot of wrong ideas."_ Tatsumi thought.

 _"Uh... no thank you."_ Cloud said to himself. He still remembered the nightmare he took when he was forced to cross dress to save Tifa. The moment he slipped on that dress, he felt his dignity die with him. He still blames Aerith for making him put it on. He shivered, remembering that moment.

"I prefer women, thank you." Cloud said politely to him. He nodded his head in acceptance.

After that, both guys saw the green haired one looking at a lake. His face was one of perversion, his face red with excitement... and was he drooling?

"What are you doing?" Cloud asked him.

"Go away! You're blowing my cover!" He yelled at both of them.

"Why are you trying to hide?" Tatsumi asked him.

"It's almost time for Leone's bath!" He said in a sing song voice.

"You're peeping on her?" The blond swordsman asked him, not hiding the disgust in his tone.

"If you don't like it then go away! Nothing will stop me from seeing those tits of hers!" He yelled triumphantly, making both Tatsumi and Cloud give each other a blank look.

"In that case, how about two fingers?" Leone came from behind him, making him gulp in fear. Then he screamed.

 _"He'll get along with Reno just fine."_

 **Minutes of ass whooping, screaming and yells of pain later...**

The green haired man was now lying on the ground, his body twitching. Bruises were on his face and he also had a black eye. Otherwise, he seems fine.

"Um, is he gonna be okay?" Tatsumi asked Leone.

"Yeah, he'll be fine. Oh, and his name's Lubbock. He never learns." Leone introduced to them.

 _"Yeah, I can relate to that."_ While not as perverted as Lubbock, Reno can be a bit of a skirt chaser at times. While Cloud was picking something up for one of his clients in his deliveries, he heard a few women scream out, with a mop of red hair flying. Boy, does he have no chill at all.

The two guys and girl were walking along the lake. It was dusk, and the sun was beginning to set.

"Damn it, I'm so tired. It's already late." Tatsumi complained.

"Oh, pipe down. We're gonna meet a pretty girl so cheer up." Leone said to Tatsumi.

When the trio arrived, they saw a huge makeshift grill. The course? The chimera that Cloud killed a day ago.

"Isn't that the chimera I killed a day ago?" Cloud asked.

"Wait! You killed that thing? How!?" Tatsumi's jaw dropped. Apparently not even the best hunters could kill the damn thing die to it's size, grotesque appearance and how fast it is.

"It was easy. Not a big deal." He shrugged his shoulders, not seeing why he was making a fuss about it.

"Hey Akame!" She tossed her a piece of meat, which she gratefully ate.

"Have both of you decided to join us?" Akame asked the village boys. Both shook their heads.

"Then I'm sorry, I won't be sharing my food with you." Akame ripped another piece of meat and ate it greedily.

"I wasn't hungry anyway." Said the One Winged Angel Slayer. Akame was hugging the meat closely, as if she were protecting it.

 _"Is she gonna eat all of that?"_ Cloud sweatdropped at the possibility.

"By the way, the boss has returned." Cloud raised an eyebrow at that. He saw a woman with neck-length hair and black clothes. Her distinctive features were her green mechanical arm and her missing right eye.

"Yo." She waved at Leone.

"Hey, boss! You brought any gifts?" She asked happily.

"Leone... your last assignment... it was three days overdue." Killer intent began to leak from her, causing Leone to shrink away in fear. With a few seconds, she ran in an attempt to get away, only for her mechanical hand to shoot out, narrowly missing Tatsumi and Cloud's head.

"You know, you need to shed your habit if killing your enemies slowly. We are assassins. We must be swift with our missions and our targets. When facing a powerful opponent, you shouldn't drag out the fight." The woman advised Leone, whose mechanical hand was dragging her back to the boss. Leone was screaming, trying to break free of the iron grip that was her mechanical hand, but despite Leone's enhanced strength, she could not break free from the large prosthetic.

"Oh, and who are these two men?" She asked them.

"These are our new recruits! They will be joining Night Raid!" She wrapped an arm around both of them, with Cloud feeling her breasts on his left shoulder.

"Do they show potential?" The boss asked Leone.

"Yeah! I've seen them kill our first target before we even arrived. With no hesitation as well." Added the Lionelle user. The leader seemed to ponder this for a moment.

"Very well, then. Akame, gather everyone up. We're having a meeting tonight. I want to know all about those two over there. She stood up, revealing a long black trench coat with the Night Raid insignia on it, which was the image of a bird with red eyes and a sun. The Murasame user nodded her head, finishing off the last of the dead chimera.

 **Night Raid Headquarters...**

"And that's about it." Summarized Tatsumi. He just finished summarizing his desire to save the village, his meeting with Cloud, the time when they met and killed Aria to the point where Cloud revived both his childhood friends. Fortunately, since Sayo and Ieyasu didn't know Night Raid's exact hideout location, Leone allowed them to go without any trouble. On the other hand, both Cloud and Tatsumi now know of it.

"What about you, Cloud? What's your story?" The blond swordsman had to think for a minute. He couldn't just say he was from another world, as no one would believe him. He can't just say he popped up into the forest, because that would bring suspicion. Well, he could just tell a partial truth about his mission.

"I was born from a nearby village in the capital. Long story short, the Empire decided to slaughtering everyone inside when we were rebelling." It wasn't really a lie, as it was indeed burned down and many died during the Nibelhiem incident, but it was not the truth either, as it was Sephiroth who brought out the deaths of the people, including Tifa's dad and his own mother.

They seemed to believe him, as they are aware of how swift and merciless they can be when anyone tries to riot.

"My condolences, then. How about it then, Tatsumi and Cloud? Will you join Night Raid?" Both village boys had to ponder for a minute.

"Our heads are gonna be chopped off if we refuse, right?" Cloud asked the boss. She shook her head.

"No, but we won't let you leave either. You can work at one of the factories and be a blacksmith. Either way, we won't kill you, but we recommend you join." The mako eyed warrior scoffed at that idea. While yes, he did create the Fusion Swords all by himself, he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life being a weaponsmith, not while he can use the skills he accrued from fighting giant monsters the size of skyscrapers.

"I came into the capital to earn money for my village. A pity it wasn't what I believed it was." His green eyes were saddedned over the near deaths of his friends. It was his naive nature that nearly cost them their lives. If it wasn't for Cloud, they'd be dead already.

"Tatsumi, the Captial is the main source of the corruption. Don't you wanna purge that corruption once and for all?" Bulat asked him.

"He used to be an officer in the army before he decided to join us," Informed the boss.

"It's our job to take out the trash of the capital."

"But you need to take out more than people who invited others into their homes and tortured them. While yes, it is a difference indeed to have them gone, it won't really make a huge blow." Cloud interjected within the conversation.

"We know. South of here lies the Revolutionary Army's base. It was small at first, but then it grew in size as many more people were beginning to see the corruption that plagues the land. They needed a team that can work from the inside. Someone that can assassinate key targets and give recon to the enemy. That is why Night Raid was formed. While yes, killing Aria and her family was a small fire to extinguish, it's a start. When the Revolution begins, we will go amidst the chaos and purge the main source of this corruption, the Prime Minister Honest." Cloud closed his eyes, trying to process this information and see if she was lying. He sensed to malice nor hatred in her voice.

"Do you honestly think all of this will disappear when we finish this revolution?" The spiky swordsman asked the leader.

"Yes. People are running amok because of that fat bastard." Cloud can see the merit in that point. He never thought he would see a fourteen year old girl to actively participate in torture. She already had everything, yet she takes away from the poor. While Cloud hates staining his blade with blood, it would seems would have to get his hands dirty here. This Empire... it's even worse than the Shinra before the whole Geostigma thing happened. While yes, Shinra did somewhat abuse their power, they did supply people with electricity, though they were siphoning the planet's blood.

"That means you are are rogue assassins of justice, then!" Concluded Tatsumi. Before anyone said a word, Cloud interjected once more.

"I wish I can share the same sentiment as you, but that sadly isn't the case. Whichever way you swing this, murder is still murder. The only difference is that the reason people kill. Killing has never and will never be justified. In all honesty, I don't approve the way Night Raid does things, but I can understand why. After seeing your friends get tortured, I realized that there's more people like her. And since the government is corrupt, the Empire won't give the criminal the justice it deserves. So taking them out the equation is the only answer." Said the mako blue eyed blond to his fellow village boy.

"Indeed, Cloud. You are correct. Law enforcement is not to be trusted in the capital, as they too are filled with bad people." She clarified to him.

"At least hedgehog here knows the situation. This newbie here isn't ready for what's to come." Mine pointed at Tatsumi. Cloud's eye twitched at being called hedgehog. Suppose it isn't as bad as being called a chocobo head.

"But I have to do this. Will I get compensation?" She nodded her head.

"Then I'll join. I don't care if I die. I want to see my village prosper." The boss nodded her head in approval, proud of his decision.

"What about you, Cloud? What is your decision?" She asked him.

While he would normally pull out his famous tagline, he felt compelled to join. Zack and Aerith assigned him on this mission to free the Empire for its corruption and while yes, he is a skilled warrior, even the best need to rely on others. Plus, he'd much rather kick some ass rather than look at a forge all day. He's technically a prisoner here, but with rights if the mako eyed warrior were to turn down her offer. He doesn't want to have to fight his way out of this because despite being assassins, they all have some quirks of their own that reminds him of the friends he has in the past.

"Will no more civil unrest, killings or tortures happen?" Cloud asked her.

"We will make sure that the Empire's old ways be gone when we finish the revolution."

"Then I'm in. I want to make a difference in this world. I want it to change for the better." It's too late to back down now.

"Then I welcome both of you to Night Raid." She announced.

"Akame. You can test their abilities. If they get too much of a hassle, then kill them." Tatsumi shivered, while Cloud could care less.

"No problem." She nodded her head.

"Better do a good job if you want to live!" She said cheerfully to her fellow blond. He felt uncomfortable with the physical contact.

 _"I swear, this woman will be the death of me."_ Cloud thought. She has Reno's playful and flirtatious persona,while having Tifa's smoking hot body.

"Meeting adjourned. You are now dismissed." Everyone got up and left until the boss stopped him.

"Cloud, I'm aware that wasn't the full truth of your story. Normally I would be suspicious, but it's obvious that you harbor hatred against corruption. When you're ready, please tell us your past. We're a team now and you must learn to work together with others." He merely nodded his head and walked away.

 **Morning, Night Raid HQ...**

Both Tatsumi and Cloud were forced to cook for everyone, much to their dismay. Fortunately, Tifa taught him a bit on how to cook, just in case she were to not be available, like right now. Though Tatsumi was more impatient than Cloud. He doesn't feel comfortable telling them his past, but he needs to earn their trust if he wants to be a part of Night Raid. Despite hearing how feared and ruthless they are, when not in battle, they seem oddly lighthearted. Tatsumi was peeling a potato while Cloud was chopping an onion.

"I said I want seconds!" Mine yelled out to both guys.

"Oh, me too." Bulat yelled out happily.

"I'll take some." Said Lubbock.

"Oh, yes if you don't mind." Interjected Sheele.

Both their eyes twitched in annoyance, but didn't say anything.

 _"They're running me ragged."_ Thought Tatsumi.

 _"Never thought I'd have to cater for a bunch of hungry people."_ Thought the blond swordsman.

"Come on. I thought we were gonna be assassins, not some chef." Griped the green eyed boy.

"We may be skilled, but we're still greenhorns to them. Give it time." This reminded him during his early days as an infantryman in Shinra. They always made them do tasks such as making coffee for the superiors, be sparring partners and for those who were especially misbehaved, clean the bathroom. Cloud swore he saw a brown smoke come out of the door and slap someone's face with its stink.

"Lookin' good there, rookies!" Mine, Bulat, Sheele and Lubbock were wearing their equipment.

Tatsumi crushed an apple out of irritation, but Cloud did nothing, frying the beef brisket.

"Leaving so soon?" Tatsumi asked them.

"Yeah, there's a special assignment that was sent to us. Do us a favor and go chop a few cucumbers, yeah?' Mine laughed like one of those spoiled brat kids, making Tatsumi growl in anger. Cloud just gave them a blank look.

"Good luck." Were his only words, taking out the beef brisket and putting it on the table, which disappeared in mere seconds thanks to Akame. He sighed at her ravenous attitude.

Mine growled. She could not make this guy budge whatsoever.

"So... why are we at the waterfalls?" Asked Cloud. Him, Tatsumi and Akame are at a waterfall.

"We're gonna have koge tuna for dinner." She announced to both of them. Akame then took off her skirt and tank top, making Cloud blushed slightly and covered his eyes out of respect... only to find her in a white bathing suit.

Akame, oblivious to this, asked, "Why's your face red?"

"It's nothing." He lied, shaking his head.

She then jumped down onto the river and within a matter of seconds, multiple medium sized fish came into the basket. Akame then emerged out of the water.

"You just find your target, conceal your aura and strike when needed? Ready for this?" Cloud just nodded his head. He zipped down his black turtleneck, revealing his lean, but toned body. Akame doesn't know why, but she blushed slightly at seeing his physique. She then noticed a few scars on his body, one of his stomach and on his chest, where his heart is.

"Cloud, where did you get this?" She asked in curiosity. The spiky blond got them from getting stabbed by Sephiroth. Since the girth of the blade wasn't big, it only left small scars on his body. Being impaled feels a lot painful than one might think. It's like piercing a huge needle into your body, with the sharp object going through. Even before he was experimented on by Hojo, he was able to withstand being a shish kebab to Sephiroth's sword, grab the blade and literally threw him into a vat of mako energy. Not a lot of people can survive being impaled.

"It's nothing. Let's just do this." He said, not wanting to think about Sephiroth. Akame felt bad that he did not trust her enough. While he isn't a bad person in her eyes, she wants to know him more. Because as Night Raid, they share each other's burden and sorrow. No one has a good past, except for Lubbock, as he was born in a rich and wealthy estate.

Cloud jumped down into the waterfall, making a huge splash. A few minutes later, one, two and then more fish started coming out and into the basket. Akame was surprised that a newbie was able to even get the many fish for a brief amount of time. He dug out so much that it filled the basket to the brim with Koge tuna, making Akame drool from the mere sight of devouring it. Before the red eyed assassin was about to tell him to stop, a ridiculously huge fish the size of a panther then found its way into the ground, making Murasame's user widen the size of dinner plates. Not only was she proud of Cloud for meeting and exceeding her expectations, she also gave them a good amount of dinner. Cloud then jumped out like a bullet, landing gracefully on the ground.

"So, was that enough?" He asked Akame, only to find her drooling so much she was making a waterfall from her mouth, making him sweatdrop.

 _"For a woman with a cold attitude, she sure has quite an appetite."_ Thought the blond swordsman. Tatsumi saw the fish as well, making his jaw hit the ground.

 **Minutes later...**

After Akame cooked some of the fish, they were on the dinner table.

"Wow, spiky got a lot of fish, didn't he?" Leone could only watch as Akame ravenously devour a part of the koge tuna. Slurping and munching could be heard from her mouth.

"I may have overdone it a bit." He scratched his head sheepishly.

"Besides, Tatsumi caught at least five, so that's a pretty good start." He praised his fellow village boy, making him smile for giving him some credit.

"We got new targets." Leone took out a few photos.

"Gamal the oil merchant, Captain Ogre of the Imperial Police and David the child trafficker." Hearing the last name made Cloud cringe. Just the thought of it happening to Marlene or Denzel made him boil in anger. Hell, no one, especially children deserves that fate.

"According to the client, whenever Gamal or David gets caught, both of them bribe him with money. In return, they frame an innocent person for their actions. The client of the fiancée fell victim to this. She asked us to take them all out at once and also paid for it in full." She took out a bag full of money, making Cloud's eyes widen.

"The woman smelled of disease. I think she was selling her body to get that much money." The blond's face fell further. He could have decked them even without the money. Cloud cares little about monetary gain. He cares about wiping out the corruption. If he's still in his SOLDIER persona, he would've drooled over that money and probably ask for more, but after those moments of having amnesia, he learned that things such as money or fame brush off on him. As long as his loved ones are safe, he doesn't really care about anything else.

"Are their intentions true?" Asked Najenda.

"My sense never failed me once. They're guilty."

"Then Night Raid accepts this mission. In the new nation we wish to create, trash like him don't belong in this place." Said Najenda, lighting and smoking a cigar.

"Gamal should be easy, but David and Ogre will be a bit tougher. Ogre is constantly surrounded by a group of his own men. Gamal also sends his paycheck to his personal chambers. The only time he's not on full alert is when he's drinking right by the palace. David's gonna be an even tougher guy, as he uses a greataxe that can split people in half. It's said that he tests it by bringing a group of people and then execute the imprisoned just for fun. He is in an abandoned warehouse right near a village. He secretly does his trafficking of children inside there. He orders his men to capture a few unlucky ones, then sell them for money."

As Cloud finished the last of his brisket, he was still wondering why this world as so cruel. From public executions to child traffickers, it was as if they have little regard for life and thinks they could do what they want. While Cloud admits he is no saint, these people are hunting and killing innocent people. Only a blade through the chest can stop their wrongdoing.

Najenda seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Akame can't go take out Ogre, as they know her face. She can either go for Gamal or David.

"I can go for Ogre, as they don't have any wanted posters of me yet." Volunteered Leone, puffing up her chest in pride.

"Can you do it?" Asked Najenda.

"Targets like these pukes are the ones I live for!" Leone said confidently.

"I think we should wait until the come back." Akame suggested, wiping her mouth.

"But we don't know when they'll come back." Interjected Tatsumi.

"The fine! I say we do this now!" He slammed his palms on the table, emphasizing his desire to end Ogre.

"Keep talking like that and we might make you back it up further." Leone smirked, proud that he was taking the initiative.

"Can you do it?" Asked the red eyed Murasame wielder.

"I'm good with a sword you know. I'm not defenseless." Defended the village boy.

"I mean killing someone without any circumstance." Clarified Akame.

"I mean... I did it twice." He muttered sheepishly.

"The first time was on blind rage and the second time was when spiky was there." Cloud sighed, feeling like people won't stop calling him out by his distinctive hairstyle. Granted, it's been more refined and realistic, but it's still maintains that uniqueness.

"But we can't just do anything. I mean these people are abusing their power, thinking they could do whatever the hell they want because they either have the money or in a position of power. I say no more. It's time we put an end to this!" Said Tatsumi determinedly, making Leone smile.

"Very well then. That leaves David and Gamal." Said the boss.

"I'll handle David. If he's as tough as they say then I can take care of it. I'll teach him a lesson for using people to test out his weapon." Volunteered Cloud. He wants to teach this David a lesson for thinking that lives are something you could just throw away.

"You're still in training. Sure you held your own against Akame, but you still have many ways to go." Said Leone to her fellow blond. In truth, Cloud would've decked the Murasame user in seconds. She was fast and quick, but it wasn't anything he hasn't seen. He just held back so that Night Raid wouldn't ask him questions about his ridiculous physical feats. Like how he can summon meteors out of the damn sky. Hey, in his world, the word "physics" does not exist.

A small smirk went into the blond's normally disinterested face. "You don't know what I'm capable of." He said to his fellow blonde.

She returned with a smirk of your own. "Well, then let's see what you can do, spiky." She said seductively.

"Akame, you'll go with Cloud to take down David. Leone, you deal with Gamal." Leone pouted that she wasn't paired up with her fellow blond but nonetheless complied. Akame nodded her head, but said nothing. Cloud brought up his gear and went out. Akame were to follow him, until Najenda grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Keep an eye out for Cloud. I'm still suspicious of him. He is telling the truth regarding his origin but not all of it. But unless he does something that threatens the existence of Night Raid, don't harm him in any way. Understand? I have a feeling he's stronger than he looks." Akame nodded her head, getting the message. To them, the spiky blond was more or less an enigma. He rarely speaks unless either spoken to or when needed. While they are somewhat skeptical of the blond swordsman, he didn't do anything that labeled him as a bogey, so they merely resorted to keeping an eye on him.

Akame can tell that the blond wasn't giving it his all when she tested him. Could it be that he was stronger than her? **(AN:Answer to that question: Yes to the one hundredth power.)**

Cloud overheard the conversation, thanks to his enhanced hearing courtesy of the shit Hojo put him through. He closed his eyes, crossing his arms.

 _"So they still don't trust me, huh?"_ He thought, looking into the sky.

Both the Murasame user and the former SOLDIER were walking through the night, the wind blowing through their clothes. It was obvious Akame didn't trust Cloud, but since he didn't do anything threatening towards anyone, they made no hostile movement against him. Seems he got his work cut out for him if they want to trust him. Not the first time this happened though. At first, AVALANCHE was suspicious of him because he was a former SOLDIER. Well, in his head anyway.

His ears picked up some rustling noises, making him draw his sword.

"What's wrong?" Akame asked him, noticing his tense pose. Just then, a bandit behind him drew a bow and shot an arrow towards Akame, but he caught it in one hand without looking, crushing it. He turned around, his mako blue eyes burning through the attacker's soul. Faster than Akame could see, Cloud rushed towards the attacker and stabbed him through the heart. Blood was spilled and he fell instantly, life leaving his body.

 _"Wha- he wasn't that fast when I sparred against him!"_ She thought, surprised by his blitz of speed.

"You're mine you bastard!" Another bandit yelled, attempting to get him from behind, only for Akame to bifurcate him, the katana slicing mercilessly through his body.

"Thanks." He said to her, putting away the main blade.

"No problem." She replied back. They continued their walk to the village where the target was hidden. No one else stopped the duo on their way there, and those brave (read:stupid) enough to cross their paths and assault them, they needed a few stitches here and there. And possibly some plasma.

The warehouse was innocent enough. It looked a bit dilapidated with broken down walls and missing a few bricks on the roof here and there, but it was in good enough condition for someone to live in. And it was also a perfect place for someone to commit illegal acts.

"Well, this is the place." Akame looked at the photo that Najenda gave her. It looked like the same house as they were seeing right now.

"We have to stay quiet. If there are people inside that place, we can't afford to put them at risk." He advised Akame. Cloud drew out the main blade and went through the front door, with Akame following behind him.

"Wait. We can use the entrance over there." She pointed at a hole on top of the house. It was small, but it was big enough for them to fit through.

"Yeah, good idea." He jumped up there gracefully, making no sound. Akame was surprised by how far he jumped. She ran up to the secret entrance and grabbed Cloud's hand, allowing him to help her inside. From the looks of it, this looks like an attic, with the dusty cobwebs and the fact that they climbed up.

"Let's search this place for those people." Said the blond swordsman, willing to teach those pricks a lesson. As the clone of Sephiroth started walking around, he noticed stacks of gold bars everywhere.

 _"He must be enjoying himself if he was this loaded. Too bad it came from selling those poor children."_ He thought in dismay. After they deal with this guy, he's gonna be sure to give all of this to the people that need the money. Maybe even take some and give it to Tatsumi so that his village can be better off for a while. But until Honest is down for good, Tatsumi's village will always be under heavy taxation and endure strife.

Seeing a letter, he picked it up and read it. It said:

 _ **"Thanks for selling me those kids, David! Man, they were so easy to order around and even if they resist, all you need is the good old whip to put them back into shape. I'll need more of those brats soon and I'll send you the gold in advance. Who knew ordering people around could be so refreshing! And one of them decided to go a little bit to far to I had my men shoot them down. It felt pretty good doing it, as the little shits learned their lesson after that."**_

 _"Freaking bastards."_ Cloud clenched his fists in anger, crumpling the paper. First, they take away their freedom, now they whoop them to death? Yeah, this guys needs a huge ass whooping. And he's gonna get it hard. If he were to come to Gaia again and if he sees anyone touching his friends like that, hell will rain down upon them.

"Cloud, let's go." Akame tapped his shoulder, pointing downstairs. She noticed the contents of the letter and she too was pissed off about it. She knows what it's like to be sold as a kid and it turned her into a cold blooded assassin. The Murasame user didn't expect him to get mad, though.

The blond swordsman and the red eyed assassin crept down the stairs, on the look out for anyone. Oddly enough, despite it's rather worn down exterior, the house looked good in the inside. Antique furniture was there, but the place looked good enough. In contrast to the attic, the living room looked well enough, with antique furniture put in the right place and not a single cobweb in sight. It was also pretty large too, enough to host a full blown party.

The duo were about to walk, until a voice made them freeze.

"Why the hell are we doing this?" One guard complained.

"We need the money to do this and this is the best paid one." Said another.

"We can just rob someone's place, you know." The other guard said.

"No way, almost everyone that's rich have their shit guarded. Plus, this job isn't that bad. So quit your crying and just do your job."

"Also, I heard some screaming down there while I was patrolling the area. What do you think the boss is doing to those kids."

"IDK, but one time when we were about to sell one of those brats, they had a faraway look on their face, as if they were traumatized. Whatever the boss did, he sure fucked them up."

 _"So a child trafficker and a pedo. Another excuse to end this bastard."_ Thought Cloud.

Both assassins gave each other a look and nodded their heads. Time to end this once and for all. Cloud rushed forward, slicing his chest with his blade. Blood pooled out and he fell dead.

"Eliminate." Akame brought out Murasame and as fast as the speed of sound, cut three of the men. They tried to go after her, but multiple markings appeared on their body. They choked and after a few seconds, they fell limp. Two tried to shoot them, but before they could get a chance to do so, Cloud threw his main blade at them, slicing off their hands and their guns in the process. Akame went in for the kill and decapitated both of their heads. Their fight left the ground in a bloody mess, with red pools laying in the floor. Cloud lamented having to take their lives, but this world is more cruel compared to Gaia. And so he needs to harden as well.

"There isn't a door downstairs." Said Akame, inspecting every inch of the house. Both sword users inspected every inch of the house for a few minutes, seeing nothing out of the ordinary until Cloud saw something that caught his eye.

It was a shelf, full of books. At first, it seems nothing is out of the ordinary, with area packed with full of worn down and old literature, but one book stood out above others. Unlike the other pieces of literature, this one was new-looking. It didn't look worn down compared to the others. He noticed a few pages crumpled here and there in an attempt to make it look old, but it was still noticeable enough for it to be distinct among the other books. He yanked the book out of its place. At first, nothing happened then suddenly, the shelf slid to the right, gaining them access to the room below.

"Akame." He pointed at the direction of the opening and motioned him to follow her. She drew Murasame and went after Cloud. Loud screaming could be heard from the basement, making Cloud cringe. From the sound of it, it was a little kid, younger than Tatsumi.

"No, please don't kill me!" The boy begged to the person. He was taller than either Cloud or Akame, at least a little bit over six feet. He was large and muscular, with the body of an athlete. It would be considered a turn on for most girls... if it wasn't for his face.

His face was grotesque and twisted. It looked like someone burned his face and scalded it with water. He only has one eye coming on his face and despite having the body of an Olympic player, his visage made him look old.

"Don't worry my boy. It'll be over soon." He said, giggling evilly.

"Eh, don't you think that's a little too much boss?" One guard said.

"Nonsense! You could never kill or enslave too many children! Not to mention how they squeal when I get my hands on them." The mako eyed swordsman gagged at that last part, but held it in.

Cloud rushed forward, attempting to end his life, only for him to block it with his greataxe. His grotesque face made it look even worse.

"Oh, so you're here to kill me, hm? Well too bad!" He kicked him away, launching him into a wall. He groaned and shrugged off the pain. Akame rushed forward and killed the guard defending David. Despite the weight of his greataxe, he was able to wield it with ease, defending against Akame's Murasame with ease.

"Oh, it's you Night Raid punks. When I get my hands on you, I'll send your head to the Prime Minister. He'll maybe allow me to sned me more money." He said with glee.

"Die." Akame instensifed her attacks, but he was still able to defend them easily.

"I expected more from a Night Raider, but what a pity. I was getting bored here, anyway." He rushed forward and used the flat end of his weapon to knock out Akame, sending her to the wall. Cloud, out of his stupor rushed forward, his blade meeting his.

"Oh, wow. Persistent, aren't you." In response, Clound landed a punch in his gut and slashed, leaving a wound on his chest. Just then, a shot rang out. Cloud felt pain and he fell down, seemingly dead.

"Cloud!" Akame went over to check her comrade, only for her to get launched off her feet as well. She tried to get up, only to be met with guns pointed at both of them.

"This is where it all ends, Night Raid. I'm gonna send you to the Prime Minister himself, and he'll gladly give me a promotion to the Empire. I'll also hurt your little friend here as well. I would have fun torturing him until he bleeds to death." He gestured at Cloud.

 _"Need... to get up... I can't... let anyone see die..."_ David held out his hand, signaling the men to fire. Akame closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate.

"Fire!" Akame closed her eyes and prepared for her death, but to her surprise, she saw Cloud using his body as a shield, the bullets penetrating his body. He groaned in discomfort, but he shrugged it off.

"You okay, Akame?" He asked her, giving her a helping hand. She gladly took it. Both charged forward, easily dealing with the shooters. Akame sliced through their guns and neck while Cloud bifurcated some of them in half. Soon enough, the shooters were dead. Cloud's eyes met David's, his face stone cold and with killer intent.

"You think I'll let you get away with this?" He asked him, his voice low with fury. Despite being shot in the arm and the chest, he merely endured the pain. Blood was seeping in his arm and chest. Miraculously, his clothes were still intact.

"You hurt too many people already. I'm no saint, but I'm not the type to hurt others for money or pleasure. You don't deserve to live." Cloud cut off his arm, making him scream in pain.

"I had fun doing it too. Man the screams those kids were emitting." Unfortunately, that statement pissed Cloud off even more, cutting off his legs. He fell to the ground, his face full of tears.

"If you're gonna beg for mercy, then don't try. You sealed your fate the moment you did this." Cloud went upstairs, with Akame following him.

"What are you gonna do?" Akame asked him.

"You'll see." When they went outside, he threw the man into a nearby tree, surprising him.

"You're not gonna spare him, are you?" Asked Akame. She was only met with silence. Cloud closed his eyes, concentrating. He felt his body getting energized the more the focused. His blade started glowing blue, surprising Akame. He channeled his anger... his emotions... the rage he felt... the desire to protect his friends... the feeling overwhelmed him, turning it into power.

"Stars..." Cloud spun the main blade a few times. "Rain down!" He planted it into the earth. Just then, six meteors poured into the night sky, adorning it with its molten rock flames. They all rained down on David, who saw the meteors with widening eyes.

"No, please have mer-" his words were cut off when the meteors hit him, peppering him with rock and molten lava. The attack also caused the tree to light up, now covered in flames. Akame looked at him with wide eyes.

 _"He can summon meteors?! Never heard of an Imperial Arm being able to do that."_ She thought.

"We'll talk later, but right now those people need our help." He went back down to the basement, with Akame following him. Both went into the basement and freed the rest of the hostages.

"Thank you for your help. We were stuck here for days." One of the kids said to the duo.

"There's some money upstairs in the attic. Go help yourself and your families with them." The children went up to where Cloud directed them to, happily helping themselves with the treasure that David accrued.

"Hey... you okay?" Cloud asked Akame.

"How... why would you sacrifice yourself for me? You knew that we were suspicious of you... yet you still tried to save me." She asked him.

"Look. I can understand why you didn't trust me as of before. I really... didn't talk much so it was understandable. I just needed to prove my worth. To show that you can rely on me. I've let far too many people die already. I'll be damned if I lose another." He looked at Akame's blood red eyes, showing his determination. He walked upstairs, with Akame following him. The duo were greeted by a group of children. One of them, a girl about Tatsumi's age stepped up.

"Thanks for saving us. That guy left us there to rot, selling us from our families. Some of them died trying to protect us... I'm finally free. We're finally free, thanks to you two. We left some of the gold there just in case you wanted some." Cloud nodded his head.

"No problem. Just please don't tell anyone of our existence. We'd like to keep whatever happened a secret. You guys are free to do whatever you want. This world is corrupt indeed, but you all have the potential to do something great. It's not too late for you all. Change your lives for the better." He ruffed the girl' she hair, the same way he ruffles Denzel's.

"So, what now? We can't just leave the gold there." Asked Akame, seeing the children leave. Cloud put a hand on his chin, his face in thought.

 **Night Raid Hideout...**

"Those kids left a lot of gold there." Said Cloud, carrying two large sacks of gold. Both entered the hideout and saw Tatsumi talking to the boss.

"Holy shit, Cloud are you ok!?" He noticed his face covered him his own blood and his arms and chest covered in blood as well.

"I'm fine." He assured the village boy.

"Spiky, what did you do to endure that much?" Leone asked him in worry.

"I took a few bullets." He admitted.

"Did you two take out the targets?" Najenda asked them. They all nodded their heads.

"Also, Tatsumi, here." He handed him the two bags of gold. He checked its contents, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Whoa, you're giving all of this to me!?" He asked him, surprised. Not many people were willing to give away that many money.

"I figured your village would need it, so that's why I took some of the gold the children left behind." Tatsumi's eyes watered slightly. It was enough to hold them for a little while.

"Thank you, Cloud! With this much money, my village could hold themselves off for a little while. Though... until the Empire's corruption is gone then they'll still suffer heavy losses."

"It should be enough though to keep themselves occupied for a little while." He said to him. Everyone smiled at Cloud's selfless action. Most people would keep this many to themselves... yet he willingly gave them all away for the sake of a friend.

"Thank you!" He bowed in respect, making Cloud chuckle slightly.

"No worries." The mako eyed warrior waved it off.

"Very well, then. I'll ask a soldier to collect the funds and give them to your village." Tatsumi smiled at that news.

"Leone, take off his shirt." The Lionelle user's grin turned perverse, grinning excitedly.

"Don't worry, handsome. I just want to see the damage." She said to him, winking flirtatiously. Before he could stop them, they gasped at what they saw. He had at least five bullet holes in his body, with some of them bleeding.

"How are you able to survive being shot this many times!?" Leone asked, her face aghast.

"I.. guess I have a strong durability." He tried to play it off.

"Still, you'll get knocked unconscious if you don't get that treated soon." Najenda replied to him.

Figuring that they wouldn't budge until he gets proper treatment, he relented.

"Leone, bandage him up." She grinned even wider, while Cloud felt a shiver go down his spine. She dragged him away happily.

"Boss... I think he isn't a normal person."

"What do you mean?" Asked the boss.

"He summoned meteors out of the sky when he dealt with the finishing blow." Her eyes widened at that.

"We'll ask him questions regarding that ability. If what you say is true..."

"There is more to him than he lets on. It's just he isn't comfortable about telling the truth yet." Akame said.

 _"Cloud...who or what are you?"_ Najenda thought to herself.

 **That's a wrap people. Another job done. If anyone wants to do a reaction fic of this, then be my guest. Reviews are appreciated, but if you wanna be an ass, then don't be here whatsoever.**


	4. Stories of the Past

**Wow... In one week this damn story got over 1000 views. I'm really flattered. For those who have red this story, thank you for your support. If any of you have any ideas for me to add in the story, send them on the reviews and I'll take it into consideration.**

 **Also, it has come to my attention that a few select people want this to be a harem. I'm not against it, but I was surprised. I didn't think anyone would actually wanted it to go that way. If I get enough votes for the harem route then I will do it.**

 **I can understand that there are some decisions that the readers don't like that the author makes and I can understand that. No one has to read this story of they do not want to, I mean you aren't married into it. I try to please the crowd as much as I can with my stories but frankly, it's freaking harder than it sounds. Those who are also authors can relate to that. I'll try my best to please the masses as much as I can. Thank you for your support. I'm surprised this story got popular really quick. It hasn't even been a month and I got nearly 40 followers and over 1000 views. Your support means greatly to me. The spot for doing a reaction fic of this is still open, if anyone wants to take it of course. Also, if anyone wants to do it, add everyone in Night Raid, the Jaegers and Cloud himself. Don't add the rest of his friends.**

Our iconic blond swordsman was in his room, looking outside the window, his arms crossed. His arm and chest were covered in bandages, courtesy of Leone. He knew that he shouldn't have used one of his Limit Breaks, but frankly, that bastard pissed him off to no end. Many people in this world do anything for monetary gain, even resulting to slavery to do so. While some people have their reasons for committing illegal acts, the people mostly do it out for selfish reasons. They only care about themselves and no one else. It reminded him of how he was before he had his memories restored. He felt no better than the people than the people of the Empire, as Cloud only cared about money. Granted, he was working for AVALANCHE, but he felt disgusted over how he only cared about earning his next paycheck rather than his ideals. Even though he wasn't himself, it still wasn't right for him to just care about money.

A knock on the door was heard. Cloud walked over and opened it to reveal Akame, clad in her pajamas.

"Can I come in?" She asked him, her long hair flowing down to her thighs.

"Sure." Cloud allowed her entry to his room. All was silent for a few moments until Cloud spoke up.

"You... were curious weren't you?" He asked the red eyed girl, who looked at him in question.

"If you mean about the part where you summoned those meteors, then yes." She knows Cloud isn't an ordinary human by any standards. Akame only got this good because of her hellish training stemming from the Empire.

"Tell, me something. When we sparred... were you actually holding back?" She asked him, her ruby red eyes piercing through the swordsman's sapphire blue ones.

The blond grimaced at that. He knew that he shouldn't have acted rashly, but he was forced to save Akame from danger. While yes, the two do occasionally talk, it wasn't often. He gripped the bedsheets tightly, but said nothing. He was only this strong due to years of fighting multiple monsters, both human or otherwise. While yes, he did have the help of his friends, he was one of the heavy hitters of the team as well as the tank. He was able to deal a lot of damage as well as take it. Cloud been impaled, thrown back and blasted multiple times throughout his fights, yet he was still able to survive. Even before Professor Hojo experimented on him, he still had the willpower resist and hold his own against Sephiroth. Badassery at its finest indeed.

The enemies here are weaker compared to the enemies he fought back in Gaia. hell, that chimera did give him some trouble, but it was nothing new to him as he fought even weirder creatures than an animal consisting of multiple body parts of an animal. He didn't want to tell them his past, considering his hardships are enough to drive a normal man into the point of suicide. But he needed the trust of his Night Raid comrades. It's been nearly a month since he went with them, but they seem to care for each other and trust one another like family. It's only right that he does the same, as painful as it was.

"I... guess I was holding back. Trust me, if I were to go all out, you wouldn't win. Not even your poison, Murasame can stop me." Cloud said that not as a means to be cocky, but it's a fact. While it's obvious that these guys do have some experience fighting enemies, they paled in comparison to Cloud's own world. He was the only one able to hold his own and take down Sephiroth, thus earning him the name The One Winged Angel Slayer. It was a fitting epithet. Not to mention, the mako in his body would easily burn out the poison, as the mako experiments were designed to increase a man strength, reflexes, reactions time and immunity and resistance to most status effects. He can still feel an attack, but not the after effects of it, so to speak.

"If you want the full truth tomorrow, I'll tell all of you. But trust me." His face darkened, looking at Akame. "It's not gonna be a happy one. I understand that I've been... a bit taciturn lately and you all don't trust me. I don't feel comfortable telling my past... but if it means gaining your trust, then so be it." Just reminiscing about his past hardships left a hole in his heart.

Memories flashed through his head, forcing him to clutch it tightly, trying to block out the pain.

"Cloud!" Akame called out in worry, putting a hand on his shoulder.

 _"If it was that bad... then I can see why he wants to keep it a secret."_ The events that have occurred can leave a trauma in an individual's mind, and it seems he hasn't healed yet from his PTSD.

"I'll tell you all tomorrow. Just give me a minute." He said, clutching his head in discomfort. Akame was worried for his mental state. Reluctantly, she left the room and closed the door behind him, the look of worry not leaving her face.

 _"Cloud... just what have you been through to cause so much pain?"_ Thought Akame.

 **Morning...**

Night Raid was running through the forest, catching wind if the alarm set. Lubbock's Imperial Arm discovered multiple intruders within the vicinity and it was their job to eliminate them from the premises.

"Lubb, how many are there?" Cloud asked him.

"Eight, probably more." The greenhaired pervert replied back.

"Alright, here's the deal. Tatsumi, you're with me. Mine, with Sheele. Cloud, with Leone." Ordered Bulat. No one saw it, but she cheered silently, happy to spend time with her fellow blond. Cloud felt a shiver go down his spine, aware of how peverted the blond beauty can be.

"Try and keep up, handsome." Flames covered her body, giving her longer hair, cat ears and animal claws. Cloud rolled his eyes and dashed forward, leaping through trees and branches, his speed outclassing hers.

 _"Huh. Didn't see him that fast when he sparred with Akame."_ She thought. Maybe she could see his full potential later on.

"So, that's your Imperial Arms, I suppose?" Bulat gave him a quick rundown of what they are, as he isn't a Teigu user himself. But that makes him far from useless.

"Yeah. It's name is Lionelle. It increases my speed and strength, along with my senses." Said Leone with pride. Her grin turned sultry.

"Why, you like what you see?" She said seductively, smiling cattily. He gave her a blank look before holding up his hand and elbowing an assassin about to stab him from behind.

"We'll talk later, here they are now." Seven assassins jumped from their hiding spots.

"Oh, we got two of them." One male said.

"Dibs on the hottie." Said another, licking his lips hungrily.

 _"Perverts everywhere. I'll teach them to respect a lady."_ A small smirk made its way onto Cloud's stoic face. He looked at Leone and nodded his head. Taking out the main blade, he slashed one guy and kicked another that was trying to come up behind him. Leone grabbed two heads and bashed them together. You could hear the sounds of their skulls breaking from the impact. One assassin's dagger was tipped with poison, ready to deliver the toxin into one blood system. He tried for a frontal attack, which was an extremely reckless and bad idea, as Cloud delivered a swipe to his face, making a huge gash. He shoved it into his heart before he fell down, dead.

Two more guys made an attempt to get Leone from behind, but thanks to her enhanced senses, she was able to detect their mere presence and grab both of them by their necks.

"You said that you wanted me right?" Leone asked the guy that called dibs on her. She headbutted him, breaking his skull and drawing some blood.

"Not gonna happen." She choked out the other one before they dropped dead.

"Damn, that felt amazing!" Leone blushed, excited at the prospect of fighting.

"You shouldn't let your guard down, you know." Chastised the mako eyed warrior.

"Let them come. I'm well prepared." Leone crossed her arms, only to be met by two more of the tribal men in front of her.

"You'll pay for that!" The both yelled at the same time, only for a sword to come and cut them both in half, surprising Leone. The main blade went back into Cloud's hand like a boomerang. A really big boomerang.

"You wanna say that again?" The blond swordsman teased her, earning him a glare. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms, only to see the blond beauty in front of his face.

 _"How the hell does she do that!?"_ Thought Cloud, annoyed.

"Then be my teacher and teach me a thing or two." She said seductively towards him, grinning like a cat.

Cloud's face went beet red at that notion. This woman will seriously be the death of him.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" Leone cracked up, laughing.

The chocobo haired blond growled, but didn't say anything. Just then, a loud shot boomed across the forest.

"Was that Pumpkin just now?" Asked Cloud.

"Yeah, I don't know why she put up with the finicky thing. When I go into beast mode I beat the living daylights out of my enemies. It's much more fun, not to mention efficient." She cracked her knuckles.

"But it can also leave a bloody mess on the ground. Assassins aren't supposed to leave any trail of their presence and your method of fighting doesn't go on the lines of subtle." He pointed out to her.

Leone pouted, seeing his point. "Come on, the other should be finished by now." The duo blondes met with the rest of Night Raid. Bulat gave him a thumbs up.

"Impressive, Cloud. You were able to hold your own against a fight." He praised the swordsman.

"I've been through worse." He admitted.

"Come on, you said that there was something you needed to talk about, right?" Lubbock asked him. Cloud's face darkened.

"Yeah. I understand if you have a few questions regarding me. I'll tell you all I can, but after we eat. I don't want Akame putting my head on a pike for being slow." Lubbock chuckled, remembering how ravenous she can be, especially when it comes to meat.

 **Night Raid Hideout...**

Cloud remained silent the whole time, munching on his food. He felt extermely uncomfortable about all of this. But he and Tatsumi has been with Night Raid for the past month and they felt like family. He knew he shouldn't have used Meteorain when he killed the child trafficker David, but he acted out of blind rage. Now, they would want to know all about him. He knows that if he were to keep to himself any longer, these people wouldn't have trusted him as his past friends did in his own world. It hurts so much to even think about his own past. He's been through hell and back, with his mind nearly getting lost in a well of insanity. Because of how when he realized that his own life was nothing but a mere fabrication of his own mind. Not to mention, Sephiroth tried to mind control him multiple times. You could never feel more powerless when your're not in control of your own body, unable to do anything. He could only watch as he gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth not only once, but twice. He was able to free himself of his mental control, but it left scarring trauma in his body and psyche.

The mako eyed warrior clenched his fists in anticipation, afraid of being ostracized once more. Over the past few weeks, he's gotten along with everyone, especially Tatsumi, who is someone Cloud can greatly relate to because both of the, were, as Mine dubbed, "country boys." The only difference in their childhood: Cloud had no one, while Tatsumi has Sayo and Ieyasu.

Night Raid couldn't help but look at their comrade in worry. They can see the nervousness and anxiety painted on his face, despite his attempts to even hide it. Whatever Cloud will say will not be good, that much they know from his angst-induced face.

After Akame put away the dishes, everyone, including Najenda went into the living room of their base. Some opted to sit on a chair while a few, Cloud included decided to stand up. He gave each of Night Raid an expectant look, bracing himself for the questions.

"So... where should we start?" He asked the whole Night Raid group.

"Akame said that you were able to summon meteors out of thin air. Is this true?" Everybody's eyes widened when they heard that.

"Holy shit! You can do that!?" Tatsumi asked him in surprise. The village boy knew he was good, but he didn't know the spiky blond was capable of doing something THAT insane.

"I call bullshit. No Teigu is capable of doing such a thing!" Exclaimed Lubbock. All was silent, giving Cloud a look. He felt uncomfortable being in the spotlight, but he needed to do this. He needed their trust.

"Yes. What Akame said is true. I can summon meteors out of thin air. And it's not an Imperial Arm." Cloud told them.

"It's something only I can do. That attack was called a Limit Break." Confusion was written on their faces.

"What's a Limit Break?" Sheele asked, tilting her head like a curious puppy, which Cloud has to admit is kinda cute.

"It's a move people can do when that person is angered or cornered. Think of it as a last resort attack when you're backed into a corner. Everyone has a different Limit Break. It's unique to everyone. They're basically like Trump Cards in your Imperial Arms, in layman's terms." Explained the blond swordsman.

"Impressive. And how many of these Limit Breaks can you perform?" Asked Najenda.

"I can perform seven Limit Breaks." Everyone's jaws dropped.

"Wait. If you can perform seven Limit Breaks..." Tatsumi's sentence trailed off, but Cloud got the general idea.

"Yeah. I do have a few that are far more destructive than that meteor show." Clarified the clone of Sephiroth. Everyone's eyes widened at that. If he can perform far more destructive attacks...

"You... aren't from around here aren't you?" Mine asked with a raised eyebrow. Cloud shook his head.

"No. I'm not even from this world. I'm from another one." There it was. He dropped the bomb. A few surprised looks were on their faces, but some remained stoic.

"It does make sense, considering no one has been able to perform such a move. And also why your eyes are glowing." Najenda said to him.

"You want me to keep going? This is just going to get even darker." Cloud's face turned extremely grim.

"My eyes were glowing because someone experimented on me. Against me own will." His eyes turned downcast, remebejng how helpless he was when Hojo took him away. Everyone's eyes turned sad and looked at him in pity.

"I'll start from the beginning. I too was like Tatsumi. I was born in a small village called Nibelhiem. It was a backwater town up in the mountains." Tatsumi smiled, seeing that he has something in common with the mysterious swordsman.

"How was Nibelhiem like?" Asked Bulat. Cloud's face turned dark.

"I didn't have a good history there. My dad died, leaving my mother to take care of me. I was basically alone. I had a crush on this girl named Tifa Lockheart, but she didn't know that." He smiled, remebering his childhood friend. Leone couldn't help but feel jealous at hearing that. Same for Akame.

"One day, her mom died and she asked me to take her to Mt. Nibel, which was at the top. When we were crossing a bridge, both of us fell. I was alright, but she fell into a coma." Their faces saddened at hearing that.

"What happened after that?" Asked Leone.

"When I came home, no one was happy. Everyone thought I was the culprit, even though it was by her insistence that she go up there." His eyes turned grim and sad, remembering the way they treated him.

"They threw rocks at me. Called me names. Even insulted me." Their eyes flashed into anger.

"But it wasn't your fault! You didn't deserve it!" Lubbock yelled, anger evident on his face. If he were to find those villagers who treated him, he'll tie them up with Cross Tail and hang them upside down.

"I agree. It wasn't your fault. It was by her insistence to go to Mt. Nibel." Interjected Bulat.

Cloud scoffed. "That wasn't what they think. To make things worse, her father decided to not let me see her again." Anger was showing on their faces.

"If I see those damn bastards in here, I'm gonna fucking kill them." Leone growled out, cracking her knuckles. Akame said nothing, but it was obvious that see too was mad about the way they treated the blond swordsman. Sheele's face turned cold, but it wasn't directed at him. She can greatly relate to his childhood, as she too was ostracized for something she couldn't control, her clumsiness. Mine's face softened for the swordsman. She may act cold towards both him and Tatsumi but she isn't a jackass. She can relate to him as well, being picked on for being born a foreigner.

"As a result, I developed an anger problem, stemming from being unable to save her. I always thought it was my fault that she was in a coma. I always get into fights for no other reason." Continued the blond swordsman.

"Damn. It got you that much, wasn't it?" Lubbock asked the blond warrior.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for the events that transpired. If your friend didn't take you up there, then this wouldn't have even happened." Najenda said, feeling pity for him.

"At the age of fourteen, after hearing of Sephiroth and his exploits, I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a soldier. The whole word is capitalized."

"What's the difference?" Mine asked him.

"They're not like those people who uses guns. They're people that would willingly be injected themselves with mako energy and Jenova cells to be stronger. The procedure enhances your strength, reflexes and speed. But if you don't have the willpower to resist it, then you ended up in a catatonic state." Explained the swordsman.

"Sounds like a big gamble to make, since you're risking your own life." Replied Leone.

"What is this mako energy and what is Jenova?" Najenda asked him.

"2000 years ago, a meteor fell from space and onto my planet." Everybody's face was confused.

"Space?" Cloud facepalmed, remembering that technology wasn't as advanced in here as it was in Gaia.

"Does anyone have a map?" Najenda took one out and gave it to him.

"So this is the territory of this whole world, correct. Imagine what is beyond all of this land. In the sky. There are potentially multiple planets out there, each with their own unique geographic structure." Everyone's jaws dropped once more.

"You're not kidding right?" Tatsumi asked him.

"I'm dead serious." Responded Cloud.

"What a rather interesting place you live in, Cloud." Najenda said.

"The meteor crashed into the land at a place called North Crater. It got its name because of the meteor that landed there. The moment it stepped onto the planet, it wreaked havoc across all the land, spreading a deadly virus that turned them into monsters. The earlier race, the Cetra were at the brink of extinction as a result. The Cetra is an earlier race that has the ability to control the Lifestream."

"Lifestream?" Sheele asked.

"Think of it this way. All of us are made of flesh and blood, right?" Everyone nodded their heads.

"Then the Lifestream is the blood of the planet. It keeps it alive." Everyone's eyed widened.

"So you're saying that it's alive?!" Lubbock asked.

"In a sense, yes it is. But since that this is a different world, I don't think that the Lifestream exists here." Said Cloud.

"Oh, good. I feel kind of uncomfortable living in a planet that's alive." Admitted Tatsumi.

"So the Cetra are your ancestors?" Najenda asked him.

"Yes. The humans are the daughter race of the Cetra. After the remaining Cetra were gone, it faded into legend. 30 years before my birth, a professor accidentally picked up Jenova. He believed that it was a Cetra. Though that sadly wasn't the case."

"So you're saying this professor got the flesh of the same being that wiped the Cetra into near extinction." Cloud nodded his head.

"Sounds like a dangerous recipe for disaster." Interjected Mine.

"It was. Thanks to Jenova and the Lifestream, the SOLDIER project was born. Sephiroth was one of those people who were experimented on. Thanks to that, he rose through the top with ease."

"So, Sephiroth was a hero to the people?" Bulat asked.

"Yes. Until one fateful day. October 1, he burned down my village." Eveyrone's eyes widened at that.

"He killed everyone!?" Cloud nodded his head.

"He laid waste to anyone that was coming in his way. He was looking for his "Mother" which he thought was Jenova." Their expressions turned sad at hearing such a thing.

"He was also the one who killed my mother." Everyone's eyes looked up in surprise.

"She died right in front of my eyes. I couldn't even do a thing when she was stabbed through the chest by Sephiroth." Their eyes turned angry.

"Following him, my friend, Zack Fair tried to stop him. He was the only one who I considered a friend." Tatsumi smiled, happy that he at least got the feeling of friendship.

"What happened?"

"I found him unconscious when I got there. Picking up my friend's weapon, I ended up stabbing Sephiroth. I picked up my friend in an attempt to get him out, but he ended up impaling me." Their jaws dropped firmly to the ground.

"Impaled!? As in a sword going right through you!?" Tatsumi asked him in surprise.

"Yes. He impaled me through the heart." Their jaws dropped into the ground.

"But how were you able to survive!? No one can survive being impaled being stabbed through the chest and live! Even Bulat, who is tough as hell can die from getting stabbed through a vital organ!" Mine yelled at him. This story was just pure absurdity and ridiculous, but from the look of Cloud's face, he wasn't joking around.

"I don't know how I survived. But using his weapon as a leverage, I was able to throw him into a vat of mako, which is the Lifestream in compressed form." Some people gained respect for Cloud, as no one can survive impalement and live to tell the tale about it.

"But after that I fell unconscious. When I was out, a man named professor Hojo decided to experiment on me and Zack." Their eyes turned into fury.

"He had a theory called Reunion. If the Jenova cells were to separate, then they would try to come back together. As a result, I went through the same procedure as a SOLDIER, but this time there was a difference. I had the cells of Sephiroth within my body. I have the cells of the same person who killed and massacred my whole village." Cloud's eyes went downcast, filled with fury and anger for being experimented against his will. His hands shook in anger until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, seeing Akame, her expression filled with worry and concern. Everyone was surprised by her actions, except for Leone, who had a competing grin on her face.

 _"Oh, it's on Akame."_ Leone thought, her eyes issuing a challenge.

"I was stuck inside a test tube for four years, unable to do anything. Zack was able to get up just fine because his body was able to resist the experiment, but me... I fell into a coma. I was in a catatonic state." A few people were on the verge of crying.

 _"It's not fair... why did he deserve all of this?"_ Thought Sheele. Compared to her, Cloud endured worse. WAY worse than her.

"For a year, Zack carried me all the way. He talked to me while I was out, but I could barely hear what he was saying. Though when we got to Midgar, he just left me by a rock and ruffled my hair. I heard sounds of fighting and yelling, but I couldn't see or make out what was happening to me. After all the fighting, I woke up. I looked around and saw many dead bodies, but when I saw Zack... he was covered in his own blood. He was on the verge of dying." Cloud closed his eyes, trying to contain the tears within them.

 **Flashback...**

 _"Zack!? Zack please stay with me!" His past self yelled towards his friend._

 _"C...Cloud? Heh, I'm glad you're alright." Zack chuckled._

 _"I can still help you!"_

 _"N...no... It's... too late... for me..." Zack called out weakly, coughing out blood._

 _"C...Cloud..." Zack picked up his Buster Sword and despite on the verge of dying, passed it on to Cloud, who took the weapon. Tears filled Cloud's angst filled face._

 _"My honor... my dreams... they're yours now... you'll be... my living legacy..." Zack smiled before dying, his sprit returning to the Lifestream._

 _"Z...Zack...Zack!?...ZACK!" Tears filled his eyes. Looking at the rainy sky, he screamed in outrage to the heavens._

 **End...**

Tears began pooling into Cloud's eyes, unable to contain them any longer. Night Raid looked at him in pity and sadness. Sheele looked like she was about to cry, as for Mine, despite her tsundere like nature. Najenda's face remained calm, but she felt pity for the shit Cloud has been through.

"He passed on his sword to me with his last breath. He made me his living legacy, carrying his dreams and honor." Cloud finished, crying silently. He never thought that losing someone would hurt this much to him.

"Wow... I never knew you've been through so much." Tatsumi replied out after a few tense moments of silence, processing all the information that Cloud gave them. They can now understand why he didn't trust them with his secrets at first. He was forcing himself to spill the beans about his last life so that he can gain their trust. While it is a weakness, it is also a necessity in order to form bonds around the team.

"How are you still sane? No one can endure that much hardship and still come out and live to tell the tale. Any normal man would have committed suicide just to end their misery." Asked Mine.

"You suffered worse than any of us combined and all of us have been through some hard times... but you... you suffered so much in your life. Even when you were a child you weren't safe from harm." Sheele tried holding back her tears, but the more he spoke, the harder it was to contain them.

"Sadly, that's not the end of my life." Their eyes widened in surprise.

"There's more!?" Lubbock asked. Just how much did he endure?

"You still want me to continue?" He asked the boss.

"Only if you want to." Najenda replied.

"Thanks to the trauma I endured, it altered my memories. I impressed Zack's fighting skills into my own. In other words, these fighting skills I have... they aren't even mine." Cloud looked into his hands, clenching them.

"My memories... they aren't even my own. Zack didn't even exist in my mind. I swore that I would never forget, but I did." Almost everyone, even the normally optimistic Leone were in the verge of tears.

"Cloud... I think you should stop talking." Leone said through tears.

The blond swordsman put on a smile, trying to convey he was okay.

"Timeskip to months later, we were on the pursuit of Sephiroth. The last Cetra, Aeris Gainsborough, who was also Zack's girlfriend went to the Temple of the Ancients. Sephiroth... he took control of my mind." Cloud still remembered that feeling, his mind intact but his body moving on his own, unable to do anything about it.

"Do any of you know what it's like? To see your mind trapped and your body as a puppet? Unable to do anything at all to prevent your own actions?" Cloud asked Night Raid rhetorically.

While Akame wasn't exactly brainwashed like he was, she was trained into a child soldier and became lethal with a blade at a young age. She only served the Empire because she has to, not of her own volition. But she still had control of her mind, body and soul.

"He used my body to try to kill Aerith, but thanks to my friends, I was able to snap out of it. But by the time that happened... Aerith... Sephiroth... killed her..." his face turned grim, the memories fresh within his mind, despite the events happening two years ago.

Everyone went silent, processing that information. None of them had happy looks on their faces. From the sound of his story, it's one tragedy after another. Luck was always against him, trying to fuck up his life many, many times. Yet despite overwhelming odds, he still persevered. The whole Night Raid gained respect for his perseverance, but some couldn't help but cry over his story. While it would be ridiculous to a normal person, the look on his face tell him otherwise. It was filled with angst, anguish and pain.

"Look... I think I've heard enough already. But if you want to keep going, that's fine." Tatsumi said, looking at him in pity. While yes, his village did endure starvation, he still had his two other friends that helped him along the way. And from the way he described Tifa, despite his little crush on her, they were no way close to each other, only knowing the other because of the fact that they were neighbors, nothing more or less.

"Sephiroth was planning to use the Black Materia, a dangerous type of weapon that has the ability to summon Meteor."

"You mean those molten rocks you conjured?" Asked Akame.

"Yes. But multiple that size by 1000." Everyone closed their eyes, picturing the mental image within their heads. Their eyes widened shortly after.

"THAT big!? It can decimate a country in seconds!" Yelled out Lubbock.

"It was powerful enough to wipe out the entire world. Sephiroth was basically planning world genocide. He wanted to kill everyone in my world. And the Black Materia is capable of such." Their jaws dropped to the ground once more. That look seriously never got old.

"Excuse me, what is this "Materia" you speak of?" Mine asked him.

"Take a look at this." He fished out a small orb out of his pocket and handed it out to them.

"This is Materia. They're kind of like those Imperial Arms that you mentioned. Except anyone can use them. They are made from the planet's Lifestream, but in condensed form. I'm surprised they actually work here, since the Lifestream doesn't exist here." Cloud explained to them.

"Alright, let me see what they're made of. I won't believe it until I see it." Lubbock challenged him. Cloud smirked, willing to accept that challenge.

"So be it." He inserted the Materia, the orb sinking into his skin. He concentrated calling upon the energies of the magical orb. He felt a small burning sensation on his right hand and felt it grow hotter by the second. The mako eyed warrior threw a fireball at Lubbock's head, narrowly missing it.

"What the hell, man?! You could've burned my hair off!" The pervert glared at him.

"You wanted to see it right?" Cloud asked him.

"So how many of these Materia are there?" Sheele asked the mako eyed warrior.

"There are many forged throughout the world. Here's the good thing about Materia, though. If you keep using it, it will get stronger. You can access its more powerful abilites, but it's also going to tire you out even further."

 _"If we were to get more of these, "Materia", then we would win the rebellion for sure._ " Najenda thought, putting a hand to her chin.

"Wow, that's cool!" Exclaimed Tatsumi.

"Back to my story, after pursing Sephiroth again, he showed me a partial vision of what happened in my home village. But when he said that my memories were fake, it shattered me. It broke my morale. Everything I thought and everything I believed it were nothing but lies. I felt out of shape, that I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth... so in other words... not only do I have the cells of the person that killed my village but also that of a monster. I even doomed my own planet because of me. Cloud's eyes looked down, expecting any backlash or hate but to his surprise, neither came.

"Cloud. In these past few weeks that we got to know you, you don't seem like a monster. To us, you're a good person." Bulat admitted, giving him a thumbs up.

"I mean, you willingly gave away so much money for the sake of my village. Many would have kept that much gold for themselves, but you gave it to me for my village without a second thought. No monster would do such a thing." Added Tatsumi.

"Not to mention, you were one of the only people who puts up with my clumsiness and doesn't look angry about it." Sheele also bonded a bit with the swordsman, talking out to him on occasion. When her clumsiness kicks in, he rarely looks angry about it.

"And I am sorry too. I was suspicious of you at first, but you do mean well." She felt a pang of guilt for labeling him as an Emojre spy.

"But after that, I got a trip to memory lane. My friend Tifa was able to piece back my fragmented memories. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even be myself today. It was thanks to her that I was able to open my eyes. But the final was coming. Sephiroth had already unleashed Meteor and someone had to stop them. That someone was me. With the help of my friends, we were able to land the finishing blow on him, and end this once and for all. His body dissolves, but not his mind so I chased him down. Within the Lifestream, I was able to make him disappear forever. While yes, we were able to kill him, the damage had been done. My friend Aeris called upon the power of Holy, the Materia opposite to the Black Materia and took out Meteor once and for all. But so many people died. So many sacrifices were made. In the end, while I was able to permanently end him, the events truly changed me." He looked at his hands, clenching them.

"Two years later, a diseases known as Geostigma would appear. It was a disease that cannot be cured by any conventional means. It took the lives of many, but especially children. Their immune systems weren't as developed as a full grown man and thus they succumbed easily to the plague. I too, had it as well but compared to the kids, it wasn't bad. I lost the will to fight because of the stigma. I thought I wasn't fit to help anyone. I didn't want people to worry about me so... I ended up running away." Cloud looked down in shame, now thinking that he abandoned his friends.

"Eventually, thanks to some words from them, I got back the will to fight. I realized that they needed me and I needed them too. So I fought back. After I defeated Sephiroth a second time, someone shot me to the chest. I was able to take them along, but at the price of my life. I went back to the Lifestream. When I woke up, Zack and Aerith asked me for my help. They said that your world is in trouble and they needed my assistance in order to do so. I was... hesitant at first but I got tired of running away. I was the legacy of Zack Fair and I'll be damned if I let him down. So long story short, I ended up here, and that's when I met Tatsumi." He gave a grateful nod to the village boy in question.

"So that's my story. I can understand that it can be... absurd."

He expected no one to believe him and even hate him, but to his surprise, their faces were the exact opposites. A few people were crying because of his hardships.

"What did you do to deserve this much? No one deserves this kind of life." Akame asked at last.

"I don't know. But... I'm glad that I went through all of this, you know why? Because these hardships strengthened me. It made me stronger and harder. Sure, I endured trauma, but I needed to be pushed into the right direction. I have seen the horrors of this world. From that rich girl who tried to kill Tatsumi's friends to Ogre, these people need to go. Sure, we all take lives, but we don't do it without a reason. It's not like we kill innocent people. We are the closest thing to being the good guys. All of us are far from saints. All of us may not be perfect or act as the typical hero. But here's one thing I do know. The Empire is corrupt and whoever is behind this needs to go. I'll carry everyone's asses to the finish line if I have to. But here's an old saying: "There's no getting off this train we're on 'till we reach the end of the line. We got this far. It's time we end this. Once and for all." Cloud's expression for once wasn't filled with disinterest or devoid of emotion. It was one filled with determination, seeing this whole thing through to the end. They smiled at his intentions. Najenda was proud that he was willing to put everything aside and even lend his sword for the sake of the revolution.

"Look... I need to be alone right now. I can understand if you all have any bad thoughts of me because I do have the cells of a killer. The same one who brought down the destruction of my village." Cloud left the room, going outside to think for himself, leaving Night Raid to themselves.

"It's ridiculous. He endured so much in his life. Yet he still keeps on going. Despite hardships, he's still willing to fight for us. He was alone... like us. Before, we didn't have anyone close to us. And even if we did, we lost them. I always thought Cloud was just the type not to be interested in anything... but it's obvious he lost too much. And he still strives to fight. He really doesn't deserve this fate. No one asked him to put all this burden on his shoulders." Leone felt a great amount of respect for her fellow blond. Despite enduring a hard past, he still strives to keep on going and never giving up.

"And he nearly lost his sanity in the process. This whole thing... it's insane. I mean, people capable of destroying the world? Not even the strongest generals of the Empire are capable of doing such a feat." Admitted Mine.

"I can see why he was reluctant to trust us. This whole story is crazy, yet the way he spoke... he wasn't kidding around." Said Najenda.

"I think we should leave the poor guy be for now. It takes a lot of guts to admit what he has been through." Interjected Bulat, seeing Cloud exit the building.

 **Outside...**

Cloud had his arms crossed, looking out into the night sky. For some reason, he feels at east every time he looks upwards. It tends to keep him calm and takes his mind off his problems. He opened up all of his problems... his pain and sorrow to Night Raid... it gave him a strange sense of relief. He never thought opening up to people felt this good... yet... just talking about their deaths reopened old wounds. Zack and Aerith are people he valued throughout his life. He always blames himself for their deaths. He tried to look strong for the sake of others... so that no one can worry about his safety... but sometimes... the pain is too much to bear and he can lose control. Cloud felt something wet on his cheek, but it wasn't raining outside.

 _"Are these... tears?"_ Cloud thought. The more he thought about his late friends, the more the feeling of sadness overwhelmed him. He thought he moved on... he thought that he was past this. While he doesn't feel alone, the mako eyes warrior thought that he was out of this experience. Yet talking about it... it gave him anxiety and relief. He kneeled to the ground, his eyes never taking off the beautiful night sky.

 _"I swore... that I would never forget. Good night... Zack."_

Yet he did. The experiment and the trauma warped and twisted his mind. Replacing Cloud's memories with Zack's were the only defense mechanism for his mind to cope. His psyche could only endure so much before insanity took over his body and mind, forcing him to make actions he would regret.

"Cloud... are you okay?" Craning his neck, he saw Sheele, her purple lavender eyes laced with concern and her Qipao dress and long purple hair blowing in the wind.

"I'm... fine." He said, through gritted teeth. It was a lie, a very big lie to say. He wasn't okay.

"It's obvious that you aren't." Sheele said to him, moving closer and sitting next to the mako eyed warrior.

"Cloud, I can understand that what you've been through was not only traumatic, but can make a normal person wanna commit suicide. I may be a clumsy person, but I'm not entirely stupid." Cloud just looked into the ground, looking at his hands.

"My skills aren't even my own. I swore that I wouldn't forget Zack... yet I did. He didn't even exist... it's like I forgot about him. I thought... that I was past this... but I guess... I was lying to myself this whole time..." The wall that Cloud tried to build around his mind was slowly crumbling, his emotions pouring forth. He's been trying to bottle up his feelings and emotions but sometimes, even well-built walls can crumble inevitably.

"I couldn't... save them... I wasn't even able to save anyone." Tears began to flow out of Cloud's eyes, hitting the soft green grass below. He tried to hold back the tears, but his emotions were rising to the surface, defying his will to tell them to back down. He always took things with a grain of salt. He forges on with his problems with the best of his ability. But sometimes... it's easier saying a word or action rather than actually doing it.

"Zack named me as his living legacy. I was honored he gave me his weapon. But what did I do? I threw aside his memories like they were nothing." More tears began pouring out of Cloud's eyes.

"And there's Aerith. Sephiroth was controlling me and I wasn't strong enough to resist his pull. I always blamed myself for her death as well. I ran away from my friends, thinking I wasn't fit to help anyone. Yes, I saved Tatsumi's friends, but I... still can't forget about the people that I saved. It's just...every time I mention my past it hurts... just to even think about it. I only did this because you wanted to know the truth about me. Believe me, I wouldn't have confessed if I didn't want to, but I was forced in a position where I let my emotions get the better of me. It hurts... thinking about Zack and Aerith..." The blond swordsman looked down in shame and anger, all of it directed at himself.

Sheele couldn't help but be worried for the swordsman. He blamed himself for their passing, always thinking he wasn't strong enough to protect everyone. Yet, his skills can even surpass the likes of Akame and even Bulat, two of the toughest members of Night Raid. And despite saving Tatsumi's friends and selflessly giving away two huge bagfuls of gold, he doesn't fell like a hero. To others, they think of him as a savior, one that does good for the sake of others, but to himself, he downplays those accomplishments, part of it as to not garner unwanted attention and the other is because out of self depreciation. The ditzy assassin can relate to him a lot because it was her clumsy nature that earned her little friends in the first place.

As Cloud was busy silently weeping, he felt a pair of arms wrapped around him. Surprised, he turned around and saw Sheele, smiling sweetly at him.

"Wha... why are you doing this?" It's not that he was against the idea... but rather... it was something he wasn't used to. Not even Tifa would comfort him in such a manner.

"I feel like you needed it. You lost so much, and earned little comfort. It's okay, let it all out." The lavender haired girl said soothingly to Cloud, trying to comfort him and try to rid him of his pain.

For a few moments, the blond swordsman didn't say anything, laying in Sheele's arms, feeling her warmth. Oddly enough, he felt great comfort from this. The mako eyed warrior never felt this... happy, not since he met Zack. A warm feeling surged through his body. For once, he feels like the burden was off his shoulders.

"Sheele... thank you." He said gratefully to the user of Extase.

 _"No... thank you. I now have another way to make myself useful."_ Sheele thought happily.

 **Morning, Night Raid Base...**

After Cloud's little bonding moment with the ditzy assassin, Cloud and Tatsumi were now up, both their arms were crossed. Tatsumi's face showed impatience and annoyance while Cloud's expression reverted back to its stoic self, or as Leone would dub it, "Emo mode," to his chagrin.

"Hey, Cloud. Hello Tatsumi." Both boys craned their necks and saw Sheele, her expression one of exhaustion and sleepiness.

"Hey." The mako eyed blond swordsman gave her a small wave.

"What are you doing up?" She asked them.

"We're training with Mine, assuming she gets up." Responded the former user of the Buster Sword.

"Damn it, what the hell could be holding her up? For all we know, those Imperial bastards are up to no good!" He punched the table impatiently.

"Uh... I think Mine doesn't wake up until later on." Tatsumi groaned in annoyance.

"If you want, I could go wake her up." Offered the lavender haired girl. Tatsumi was abou to agree until Najenda came in, smoking a cigar.

"Actually, I think it's Tatsumi that should wake her up." He gave their boss a confused look.

"Huh, why me?" Najenda chuckled.

"Because you're her subordinate and you are training under her today." Tatsumi sighed, but saw the point in that logic.

"But what about Cloud? He too is a subordinate."

"You're the impatient one." Cloud interjected with a small chuckle, making him glare at the spiky swordsman.

"Fine. I'll go wake her up." He went upstairs to see Mine, unaware of the consequences of his actions.

"There is more to this than waking her up, is there?" Deadpanned the blond swordsman.

"Well, it's another trial for the greenhorn." Najenda admitted, chuckling. Sheele read her "100 ways to fix your airheadedness" book while the boss just sat down on a chair, doing nothing.

"Hey, where are the others?" Asked Cloud.

"Akame's making breakfast, Bulat is in the training field and Lubbock is probably peeped game on Leone again." Cloud chuckled at the last one. Boy will Leone whoops his ass for that. Peaceful silence ensued for a few moments until Sheele broke the silence.

"Hey, Cloud?" He opened one eye and looked at her.

"Do you... still wish to go back to your own world?" She asked him.

The mako eyed warrior pondered that for a moment. Since Sephiroth is already dead, the world has no need of him anymore. Shinra has reformed their old ways and are now in neutral terms with AVALANCHE and Aerith's healing rain should've cured Denzel of the Geostigma. To Gaia, the name Cloud Strife is nothing but a mere memory to them.

"In all honesty, I do miss my own world. Even though I didn't have a good childhood or life in general, I still pushed on. But the main threat has been eliminated there. It doesn't need me anymore. Besides, Aerith and Zack sent me here for a reason and that is too end the corruption plaguing this world. After seeing it with my own eyes, I feel like I need to make an impact here. I wished I could've done more in my own world..." Sheele looked down, feeling ashamed of bringing up bad memories.

"But..." she looked in surprise. "I've been sent here as a means of redemption. I may have failed and possibly endangered my own world many times that I can count, but I'm not let that happen here. This world is in need of intervention. Many corrupt people lie in the streets, with no one even giving a damn. Someone has to do something about all of this. Innocent people suffer because of the Minister. I've seen death myself along with others. I'll make sure it doesn't happen to them again." Cloud gave her a small, but noticeable smile. Sheele found it cute and wished he would show that face often.

"Don't forget, you have us too. We'll all make a change here." Sheele smiled at him.

Silence followed after their brief, but meaningful conversation. Until a loud scream was heard and an explosion rang out shortly.

 _"Poor guy can never catch a break."_ Cloud thought.

"Is there some festival going on!?" Leone bursted into into room excitingly, grabbing Cloud's left arm.

"Can we please go, Cloud!? Please Please Please!?" She gave him a female's most dangerous weapon: the puppy dog eyes.

Cloud cringed at the sight. The swordsman didn't want to admit it, but that look is one of his weaknesses. Whenever he sees that look, he breaks down faster than Reno gets his ass kicked by the women that he perved on. Tifa knew his weakness to it to she tends to use it whenever Cloud doesn't agree with her. Most of the time, she won.

 _"Women and their puppy eyes. Damn it..."_ Cloud inwardly cursed, facepalming.

"Leone, that was Mine blasting a hole on the wall." She pouted, disappointed it wasn't a fireworks event.

"You knew this would happen, huh?" Cloud sent his boss a deadpan look.

"Ok, I admit it." She chuckled.

 **Imperial Capital...**

Our iconic blond swordsman was with Tatsumi and Mine. But instead of doing something useful like physical training or even Akame's getting ingredients, they were going shopping. Yes, shopping. Mine had a knack to pick on what the latest trend and since she isn't known as one of the assassins of Night Raid, along with Tatsumi and Cloud, the trio were able to walk around freely, provided they don't do anything that attracts unneeded attention.

He felt some strange sense of relief when Sheele comforted him. No one, not even Tifa made him feel better in such a way. Hell, he doesn't even have a lot of experience talking to women, Tifa only because they were childhood friends. Well, that was what everybody thought. In truth, they rarely talked to each other.

Now that Cloud thought about it, Tifa didn't even bother to put the blame on herself when she woke up from the coma. Guess she was busy hanging out with her other friends to see Cloud being in trouble. He feels... at ease when with Sheele. Despite her ditzy demeanor, she can be a kind and caring person. While yes, she does have a clear mind when it comes to killing, she doesn't kill people indiscriminately. She only takes out her targets or those who endanger her friends.

The former user of the Buster Sword was carrying a shitload of bags in each hand. Thanks to his enhanced strength, he was able to lift these with ease. Tatsumi, on the other hand looked like his arms were about to fall off from their shoulders at any moment.

"How the hell can you lift that many bags?!" He half complained, half asked.

"I've been a guinea pig of an experiment that allowed me to be this strong. Even though it was against my will, it did give me some benefits." He felt bitter at Hojo for being one of his lab monkeys, if it wasn't for his experiments... he wouldn't be where he is today. The legacy of Zack is debating whether to give Hojo and thank you card or beating the shit out of him for locking him up in a test tube.

"Move it, my servant! Except for you, Cloud." While Mine was initially somewhat suspicious of him because of his ridiculous story, she can tell from his expression that he lost a lot. Not only his friends, but also nearly his own mind in the process. He doesn't deserve to technically be under her, as his suffering made him mature faster than most human beings. Though that didn't stop him from being her errand boy for the day, much to his irritation.

As the trio were walking through the roads of the city, they couldn't help but notice the people. Almost all of them looked downtrodden, as if they lost the will to live and were waiting for their own death. Cloud even noticed a few individuals with the Thousand Yard Stare, their faces lifeless, staring into the sky blue sky.

"Hey, Mine." The twintailed sniper turned to look at Tatsumi.

"Now that I'm here, I couldn't help but see how depressed the people are."

"It's true. Mostly everyone is either going to be poor or already is. The corruption of the Capital and the Empire caused inflation and tons of civil unrest. Not to mention, the government officials only care about either themselves or have some hidden agenda." Mine responded to him.

"You know, this Empire reminds me of Shinra." Cloud admitted, looking around, his spiky blond hair flying in the breeze.

"Huh, what's Shinra?" Cloud didn't tell them about how he was former enemies with the organization, mentally putting a palm on his face for his idiocy.

"It was a company in my own world. Like the Empire, it too ruled over my planet with an iron fist. They were using mako enrgy to give electricity to the people. But like the Empire, it was full of rotten eggs as well. Professor Hojo, the leading scientist was the same man who implanted Sephiroth's cells in my body." Tatsumi's face changed into one of anger and sorrow, while Mine's was still in her cold expression but her face softened slightly.

"But unlike the Empire, it wasn't as cruel or corrupt. Sure, there were a few people that I didn't approve, but there were also good people within the company. Also, when they want someone taken out, they don't do public executions like the one I saw days ago. They have improved since I defeated Sephiroth. Those who were still living were atoning for their mistakes, correcting the past. Shinra was corrupt, yes but the Empire is filled with more twisted people. I never thought I would meet someone Tatsumi's age do something so cruel to one of his friends just because of her hair. It's sickening." Cloud grimaced, remembering the bruised and beaten body of Sayo.

"And seriously, someone who would put the blame on others? Some police they are." Said the mako eyed warrior snarkily. As the trio were walking down, they noticed two kids about Tatsumi's age picking on a little kid.

"Hey, what are you-" Tatsumi was interrupted when Mine came into play.

"Shouldn't you two jerks be picking on your own size?" The sniper interrupted them.

"She's a foreigner, therefore she doesn't belong here."

"Yeah, she has to do whatever we have to say!" Cloud growled at their racist comments. Although they weren't as bad compared to the targets he killed, racist people still gets on his nerves. He shot Tatsumi a look, who nodded his head, getting the idea. They both took out their swords and slashed at their belt buckles, making their pants fall. The two bullies ran away in fear, not wanting to mess with them.

"T-thank you." The girl stuttered out.

"No. Don't thank me. Thank them. Train hard and be strong." Mine walked away and so did Tatsumi, but Cloud stayed behind.

"Here." He took out a medium sized pouch and gave it to the little girl, whose eyes widened.

"You'll need it more than I do." Her eyes teared up in happiness. She never thought they would see such a kind soul in this twisted world.

"Thank you so much!" She hugged him tightly, making him surprised. He chuckled and ruffled her hair, the same way Cloud does to Denzel. Tatsumi had a smile on his face, but Mine's demeanor was still in her tsundere mode.

"So, how many of Night Raid were identified?"

"Everyone but us and Leone." The trio saw drawings of Night Raid. Whoever did this must've been a good artist as they were extremely accurate.

"Hey, who's that?" He pointed to a picture of Bulat, though his hair was different.

"Can't you read the poster?" Cloud deadpanned.

"Bu...la- wait, that's bro!? Damn, that looks like the worst before-and after ever!" Exclaimed the greenhorn.

 _"I've seen worse."_ Cloud thought, remembering Vincent Valentine after they flew through a storm. Damn, did he get a bad hair day from that.

"Yep. That was him before he joined Night Raid."

 _"Great. Another image that will haunt me in my dreams."_ Tatsumi shivered.

"Great. Now that's done, it's time to commence your retail investigation!" Mine yelled out happily.

"Don't know what that means but let's get started!" Cloud shook his head, knowing that this won't be an assassination target, as it was daytime.

"Retail investigation" meant even more shopping, much to their annoyance. For the past hour they have been crossing through stores left and right in multiple areas in the Captial. While Cloud has a lot of patience, even he was starting to get annoyed. Apparently this was just to be an errand boy for both of them.

Their "mission" ended where they were eating some food, with Cloud looking at the distance, his face wrapped in nostalgia. He kept thinking about his adventures with Night Raid. In truth, they were an odd bunch but despite being trained as cold blooded killers, they don't kill people indiscriminately. After seeing people like David, he can understand why these people need to be taken out of the equation. Many people here think they could do whatever they do so desire.

 _"This world has been interesting Zack... though I wonder, how will you act when you're in my shoes?"_ Cloud wondered, putting a hand on his chin. This world was truly in need of help. Najenda and the rest of Night Raid treated him like a comrade. Even after telling them his past, they didn't hate him for it. In fact, they wanted to get closer to him. Guess Cloud wasn't alone in the club.

Still though, that doesn't mean they can't be annoying at times. One time, when Cloud was busy training shirtless, a certain blond beauty decided to jump on him. Despite his enhanced senses, he wasn't able to even detect her. He also caught Lubbock trying to get a free show of Najenda bathing, only for Mine to shoot him with Pumpkin. Sheele's clumsiness wasn't that big a deal, although he can see why people did not like her. Akame, one of the most feared assassins of Night Raid is a cannibal towards meat. Once, he cooked up a huge serving of ribeye for her and the moment he turned around, a loud burp was heard, making him sweatdrop.

And as of right now, his supposed superior was now using him as an errand boy. He had to resist the urge to make a snarky comment.

"You know, pink dresses are supposed to be nice this time of the year." Mine said jubilantly, wiping her face with a napkin.

"Right." Both boys said, annoyed looks clearly written on their faces, though she either didn't notice it or just did not give a damn.

"Well, mission complete!" A tick mark appears on Cloud's head, but Tatsumi exploded first.

"What the hell!? We did nothing but shop all day!" He received a bitch slap from Mine, comically flipping into the ground.

"You know, this isn't exactly my idea of training." Cloud deadpanned to her. She glared st him, but said nothing.

"Have you forgotten that I am above you? Both you country boys are my subordinates! You're lucky I let you carry my stuff!" Huffed Mine, crossing her arms.

 _"I didn't want to in the first place."_ Thought the blond swordsman. He then started to notice a mass of people gathering in the plaza. Curious, he decided to walk over there, Tatsumi and Mine following him.

"What's going on?" Tatsumi asked him, only to be met by a gruesome sight. It was the same thing as before, people blind to a cross but with only one small difference. An Imperial Officer was lighting up a a match, fire on top of it.

 _"No.. don't tell me..."_ Cloud thought, fearing what they might do. His suspicions were correct as he threw thet match at the floor below. Just then, the fire rose, covering the area. It started to spread like a disease, catching the nearest trees with its flames. Some of them reached the people, the hot sensation of the fire burning their skin. Many people screamed in agony, trying to get the pain to stop. To make it more worse, another officer poured more oil into the execution area, causing the fire to grow larger. More screams were heard shortly asfter the added fuel. Cloud watched the scene with widened eyes, not being able to take his eyes off the scene.

"Who approves of this!?" Cloud demanded to Mine.

"It's the Prime Minister. He orders these executions with no remorse or regret." Said Mine gravely, looking at the disaster.

 _"If I see that bastard, I'm not letting him live. These guys are way worse then Shinra."_ He clenched his fists in anger.

 **Outside, Night Raid base...**

He's found the cliff to be his favorite spot whenever he wants to blow off some steam. Just looking at the beautiful trees and dusk sky makes him smile so slightly.

"That's been you favorite spot, hasn't it Cloud?" He turned around and saw Sheele.

"Yeah, it is." Admitted the blond swordsman.

"So, why are you here?" Asked the glasses clad assassin.

"I feel like I need to let off some steam. It's just... even though I've seen people do cruel things, they never amounted to the evils they have done compared to here. Except for maybe a few people in my own world, no one was this cruel. I go here to try and take my mind off these things." Admitted the blond swordsman.

"Yeah. To be honest, I wonder that too myself. Why people make fun of people just because they're different." Sheele looked down sadly, remembering all the times people insulted her for being a klutz.

"You know, Sheele. You may be a bit... clumsy but overall you're not a really bad person. So if you're a bit accident prone? You're a nice person. Never change who you are." She smiled at his encouraging words, something she never thought would see on him.

"And you don't deserve it either. It's not fair that those villagers picked on you. It was her fault in the first place. She didn't even take the blame." Sheele said a good point. Tifa did not even bother to take the blame for that incident.

"Yeah. I guess she was too busy hanging out with her friends to even notice." Said Cloud.

"What happened in the past happened. I have to move on. We can't just run away from about own past. In the end, we have to face." He looked at Sheele's lavender eyes.

"Never change, Sheele. Never change ever." She smiled even more. She tried to get up, only for her glasses to fall. Thanks to her limited vision, she wasn't able to see where she dropped her glasses. Cloud picked them up and gave them to her.

"Here." He put it on her face. He had to admit she looks cute without her glasses. Sheele also reminds him of Aerith in some way, due to their quirks and their peculiarities.

"Now come on. I think the boss needs us for another target." Sheele followed him, happy to gain another friend.

 **Night Raid, Living Room...**

"Alright, we have a new assignment set out for us. The target's name is Iokal. He uses the name of his blood relative, the Prime Minister himself so that he can beat women to death. He has five elite members trained from the Imperial Fist temple that guard him, making them equally guilty as he is. Mine will take sniper position. Tatsumi, you'll guard Mine in case on an ambush. The rest of you will lure out Iokal's guards and kill them. Cloud, I have a special assignment for you." The black-clad swordsman looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"There is a list that Iokal's spies stole from us. It contains all the VIPs of the Revolutionary Army. If Minister Honest were to get the list, their cover will be blown. They also have information regarding some of the bases of the Revolutionary Army. It contains the defense perimeter, traps and where the weak spots of each base will be. And if there are any women left alive, you are to send them to a base east of here, where the medics will give them proper attention. If you fail this mission, Honest would know the weaknesses of the bases and our VIPs will not be safe from harm. Is that clear?" Cloud nodded his head, aware of this risks.

"Good. The mission commences now!"

 **Near Iokal's mansion...**

"So what's the game plan?" Lubbock asked, readying Cross Tail.

"Alright. I'll go shoot out Iokal's head, luring out the guards. After they fan out, Cloud will infiltrate the mansion and destroy those plans and rescue those girls." Mine instructed everyone.

"It's no fair, why do you get to rescue those beautiful women?!" Lubbock asked him, an anime pissed off look on his face.

"Because unlike you, I have the decency to not ogle a woman." Deadpanned the legacy of Zack Fair.

 **Minutes later...**

Everyone took their respective positions. Cloud was sitting on a branch of a tree, using his binoculars to wait for the tsundere sniper's signal. Cloud saw Mine taking aim, with Tatsumi looking at the mansion's front steps.

 _"Why so many stairs?"_ Cloud thought. _"And can Mine take the shot from here? Her weapon doesn't have any scope."_

Minutes of silence followed. Just then, Cloud saw the target. A man with glasses and a streak of purple hair. He was surrounded by a bunch of women, their expressions despondent.

 _"Huh. I guess being a fatass runs in the family."_ Cloud thought, chuckling. When Najenda sent him a photo of the Minister, the fat fuck really was big, and not in a muscular sense.

 _"Wait. How is she gonna shoot him if-"_ Suddenly, the a loud bang was heard and a streak of yellow light that went for the head of Iokal.

 _"Wow. She's pretty good."_ Admitted the blond swordsman. Back in his infantry days, he was pretty decent with an assault rifle, but he was never this accurate with his shots. Iokal's bodyguards started to pour out.

 _"That's my signal then."_ Jumping down gracefully to ground, which should've splattered his organs from the long fall, he silently started to creep towards the walls of the palace. Cloud threw his main blade up there when he noticed an archer, the weapon slicing through his body as if it was made of butter. He jumped to the rooftop, landing with the finesse of a wolf, making no sounds or movements. He saw the women looking in fear at the corpse.

 _"Okay. I need to rescue those women. But first, I need to find the plans."_ Thought Cloud. Seeing a chimney, Cloud decided to jump down from it, surprisingly, he was able to descend pretty easily, though some smoke got caught up in his nose, making him cough a bit. The mansion was even more impressive in the inside. Many ornate but exquisite wall paintings of himself decorated the walls. There was also a picture of him and Honest toasting... while in the background there was a picture of a woman whose skin looked like it was flayed. The body was bound to the Earth in chains.

 _"Wow. Fat and is a fan of torture. I'm not surprised if no girl wants so spend their time around him."_ Thought the blond swordsman. He left the living room, but not before he slashed at the picture, cutting it along with the frame in two. They fell to the ground, now in two separate pieces.

Cloud investigated each and every area of the house. He saw a bathroom, his bedroom and even the balcony, but no one was there. Each and every room he checked it was filled with expensive items such as a gold plated toilet, a king sized bed and a huge bathtub, complete with a self-cleaning mechanism that activates every time after use.

 _"Guess he likes to sell those women for money. Tch. He got what was coming to him."_ Cloud said in his head.

"Hey, who are you?!" An Imperial guard was behind him, a rifle in his hand.

"You're under arrest for trespassing public property. Come with us or we'll have to resort to force!" Cloud's response: he took out First Tsurugi and slashed at the rifle, cutting the firearm cleanly. Without a weapon, he looked at the swordsman's mako blue eyes, which were filled with fury.

"Where are the plans?" He demanded the officer.

"W-what plans?" Cloud shoved him against the wall and held him at sword point.

"Where are they!?" Demanded Cloud, pushing the sword deeper into his throat.

"Okay, Okay! The one of the captains of Lord Iokal's guards has them! Please let me go!" Cloud decided to use the blunt end of his sword instead, knocking him out cold.

"There's the intruder, get him!" Multiple Imperial officers held him at gunpoint. He merely took out the main blade and threw it like a spear, nailing someone's head. Rushing faster than any of them have seen, he took the blade out of his head and slashed another one, effectively taking his life. He used the blunt end of one of the guns and shit his face off, blood splattering some of the pictures Iokal has hung. A few of them shot bullets at him, but he deflected them effortlessly, swinging his swords and redirecting the bullets into other directions. Taking out the impact blade, he jabbed both swords into two guards and spun, cleanly cutting them in half. Fusing them together, Cloud jumped up and vertically cut down another. To finish it off, he slammed down the fused blade, creating a blue wave crescent of energy that traveled along the ground. It cut one in half, then it split into smaller blades, cutting down the rest.

After all was said and done, he infused the blades and climbed up the chimney, trying to resist the urge to breathe. After that was cleared, he then looked down and saw the women with looks of fear on their faces.

 _"They must've heard all the fighting. I gotta calm them down a bit and rescue them as well."_ Thought the blond warrior.

He jumped down surprising the women. The moment they saw him, they all looked in fear.

"Hey. Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you." His stoic expression softened. When they saw his intentions were true, they calmed down a bit.

"Is anyone else here?" He asked them in a soft manner.

"N-no. Iokal made sure that none of us were missing." The swordsman nodded his head. He then saw a woman with long hair as white as snow. Her skin was pale white and her eyes were a deep sapphire blue. She was in a fetal position, crying silently. Feeling pity, he knelt down to her.

"You okay?" He asked her. She nodded her head, but uttered no words.

"What's your name?" Cloud asked.

"M-Maya." She stammered out. Cloud gave her a soft and comforting smile.

"Do you have a family?" She shook her head.

"No. The Imperial Police killed them." Anger was written on Cloud's face from that last part, but he hid it quickly.

"I may not be able to send you back to your family, but do you want to get away from all of this? From the Minister?" The mako eyed warrior asked her.

"Yes. More than anything." Hearing her answer, he stood up.

"Alright. Stay be me and don't stray too far." The girls didn't hesitate to nod their heads. He held out a hand to Maya. The white haired beauty was reluctant at first, but when she saw pure intentions on his face, she took his gloved hand and he helped her up.

"You all ready?" Cloud walked out, the girls following behind him.

 _"Misogynistic freak. Who the hell would do this to anyone?"_ Cloud thought with disgust at the relative of the Minister.

Detecting movement on the trees, he saw a sniper about to shoot one of the girls. He jumped up there and kicked him down, sending him flying to his death. He saw a few of them behind the hostages and reacting quickly, dive-bombed towards them and butt their heads together, knocking them out.

"Are you all-" Cloud was then knocked off his feet , courtesy of the captain of Iokal's guards. He felt like a truck just decided to crash into him, minus the fire.

 _"Damn, who hits that strong?"_ The mako eyed warrior thought, groaning in pain.

"Ah, I see Night Raid has sent their regards." A sinister voice said in front of him. Clutching his abdomen in pain, he saw the captain of Iokal's mercenary guards, clad in armor. He then saw the captain don a pair of gauntlets.

"Let me guess: those are the Imperial Arms that you use?" He asked him, rising slowly.

"Ah, but these aren't those Imperial Arms. They are called Shingu. And the name of this weapon is called Crushing King. It was once destroyed, but after Honest hired a few people, they were able to fix it. It was a bit weak compared to how it was before, but it isn't a pushover in combat." To emphasize his point, he landed a sucker punch on his chest, making Cloud cringe from the pain.

 _"Come on. You can do this. You've been impaled before. You once got hit in the heart, lungs, intestines, and probably my other lung."_ Shrugging off the pain, he took out the main blade and charged at him. With ease, the captain dodged each of his swipes. Channeling his anger, he used Blade Beam once more, but he effortlessly dodged the attack and punched his gut, sending him flying into a wall. Despite crashing, he was able to get up, though his body is racked with pain.

"Impressive. Not many has been able to withstand being hit by the power of my Shingu. I commend you for having such a strong will. But you will die and I will personally send you head to the Minister himself." The captain said, cracking an evil smile.

 _"Not if I can help it."_

"And he will personally enjoy these beautiful women that your have brought with us. Oh, and are you looking for this?" He took out a large paper, which were the list of the VIPs of the Revolution and the schematics of the bases.

"Once I'm done with you, these plans are going to Honest himself and he will destroy your precious Night Raid for good!" The soldiers started to laugh with him.

 _"Damn bastards..."_ Cloud was able to shrug off the pain and stand up, but his sides and chest feel like they're on fire.

"Let's see here... hmm how about you, pretty one?" Two soldiers held Maya in place. The captain cupped her beautiful face.

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy raping you while your "friend" watches just to see how worthless he is." He whispered, giving Cloud a sinister smile, making him grit his teeth in anger. He slowly started to strip her of her clothing, making Cloud growl in fury.

"Leave her be, you sick fuck." It wasn't like Cloud to swear, but seeing something like this pisses him off.

"Oh, and what will you do pretty boy? You can't do shit because you're in pain. Now watch, as I personally make this girl my slave." He then held her in place, looking at Maya with a twisted look on his face.

 _"No... Zack... Aerith..I can't let this happen to anyone else..."_ Anger started to give way into his emotions. Ignoring the pain, he began to stand up, his eyes coasted with a shadow.

"Oh, you don't give up, do you? I'll show you how useless that is!" He threw another punch to send him flying, but Cloud caught the weapon in his right hand. An explosion of dust and dirt was behind the swordsman.

"How dare you... " Whispered Cloud. A dark aura started to from around his body. The guards saw behind him the silhouette of a wolf. It's cobalt blue eyes locked at the guards. It's razor sharp fangs ready to tear their flesh apart. His eyes were now slits, like a predator's. **(AN: It isn't Geostigma.)**

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?!?" Roared the swordsman punching him so hard he was knocked back into a few trees. His body was wracked in pain and his muscles felt like they were drenched in flames.

"Gah!" The captain yelled out in pain. The Imperial grunts reacted quickly, shooting their rifles. Cloud moved so fast that no one was able to keep track of him.

"Where is he!?" A yell of pain was suddenly heard, with a thump. One of the guards was dead. The mako eyed warrior took out two blades, fused them together and took out another blade, shoving both into two people's chest. The moment the laid eyes on him, the grunts were quivering in fear. A dark aura surrounded Cloud. His eyes were glowing more and are now slits like apredator's. Despite having no wind, his clothes were billowing out wildly.

"I'll show you what happens... when you mess with innocent people!" The aura grew, making them back away in fear. Fusing another blade and taking another one out, he threw both blades, cutting down a few grunts in half. Moving so fast and silently no once noticed, he heabutted another one, throwing him into a wall.

"D-don't move! I-I'll shoot her!" He held one of the girls at gunpoint, making her shiver in fear. Cloud merely gave him a blank stare before disappearing, behind him and shoved the blade into his abdomen, freeing the girl from her captor. Seeing everyone was free, he looked at Iokal's captain guard, walking slowly towards him.

"Don't think Prime Minister Honest will know of this!" He yelled, trying to get up only to fail.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll send the message myself." Cloud said coldly. Fusing the rest of his weapons together, he shoved the blade deep into his chest and slashed, cutting the captain in half. Seeing the plans, he took them out, cut the, into little pieces and burned them with a Fire Materia. He walked back towards the women.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." He said, the aura around him disappearing, his face softening. Just then, Maya cried softly into his shoulder, surprising him as he wasn't used to comforting women. Slowly, he hugged her back, blushing slightly as he had little experience talking to women.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine." Cloud said softly to her, wiping the tears off her face.

"Here. Put these on and let's go." He gave her the dress the captain stripped her of. Blushing slightly, now realizing she was only in her underwear, she hid behind a wall and hastily put on her clothes.

"Is everyone ok?" The women all nodded their heads.

"Let's go." They all followed him without question, leading him to safety.

 _"Wow... it feels... good... now I know how you feel Zack. To actually save people from corruption."_ Thought Cloud, smiling slightly.

After arriving at the camp, the girls went to the medics. Maya asked one of the doctors to check on Cloud, as she saw how beat up he was.

"Wow, you're a tough bastard aren't you? You nearly had your gut bursted, a few broken ribs and some back pain. Hey you can still shrug it off like nothing."

 _"Thanks the mako energy in my body for that."_ The blond swordsman thought, looking out the sky.

"You okay?" Maya came in, her body free of grime and dirt and was given out a fresh set of clothes.

"I'll be fine. I nearly had my stomach bursted and a few broken ribs, bit I endured worse." Replied Cloud, remering all the times Sephiroth impaled his ass.

"You know, I never got the opportunity to say thank you." She said shyly, looking at the ground.

"It's no trouble. I had to do it." He said with a small smile on his face. He was then received with a small peck on the cheek, making him blush.

"T-that was a thank you gift." She left the tent hastily. Cloud wasn't used to women doing it to him.

 _"Still... that was rather... unexpected. But it feels good to be appreciated for once."_ While he won't be the cocky person he was before, he felt... a bit happy when someone appreciates what he does. And he is pretty good at what he does.

"You lucky bastard no fair! I saw that girl kiss you!" Lubbock came in, his hands in his pockets, the rest of Night Raid behind him.

"How you doing, big guy?" Bulat asked him.

"I'm fine, thanks." Responded the swordsman. He was then suffocating between two pillows that was the breasts of Leone.

"I was scared when the girls told me what happened! Don't get reckless next time!" She said in a fake worried voice. The rest of Night Raid chuckled, though Sheele felt slightly jealous of what Leone was doing. Lubbock was causing the heavens for his supposed good luck.

 _"Why does he get all the pretty women!?"_ Lubbock cried anime tears.

"What happened to your hair?" Asked Cloud, seeing the burn marks on Tatsumi's brown hair.

"You can thank Mine for that." He glared at her, making her do the same thing.

"Impressive, Cloud. So they sent another captain after David and Ogre's death. Did you destroy the plans?" Cloud nodded his head.

"Very good. We can call this a victory for the revolution." Night Raid cheered, except for Cloud, who had a small smile on his face.

"Also, you'all be taking half of Lubbock's paycheck." His face turned to one of shock.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT!? First, you get all the women and now you get my money!? Kami, why!?!?!" He cried anime tears, making him sweatdrop.

"One, I don't want your money. Two, I hardly think of myself as a chick magnet." He crossed his arms.

"Oh, yeah? What about the girl that kissed you!?"

"That was a thank you gift."

"Thank you gift my ass!" Night Raid started to laugh again, except for Mine, who was glaring at Tatsumi.

 _"So... this is my new life now huh? Being a member of the Revolutionary Army. I failed to protect Zack and Aerith. I'll make sure no one here dies. Though one thing still bothers me. How the heck did I summon that aura? I don't have a Teigu so that's... rather odd. I felt like it was a part of me... but it wasn't exactly a physical manifestation either."_ He didn't wanna think on it right now, as his ass was too exhausted.

 **Right, another chapter done. Sorry if things were a bit screwed up here and there. Sorry for the whole cliche moment. I'll try to minimize that from now on. Reviews are appreciated, but I'd any of you want to be a jackass, then don't bother. I don't want people like that in this story.**


	5. Execute the Executioner

**Hey, guys it's your author here! Thank you all for your support and love for this story. I know it isn't perfect, but I'm glad you all like it.**

 **Also, after this chapter, I'm gonna hold off on the romance elements. There will be character bonding moments, but most of them won't lead up to romance... yet Much like the summary says, this is the first part of Cloud's story. He will go to other verses and save them from the darkness harboring within. I already have two verses in mind. If any of you have any other verses in mind, then put it on the reviews.**

 **P.S. Two other Final Fantasy characters will be joining Cloud. And before you assume, it is not anyone from his world. I will give you a hint though. The name of one of the characters means, "Night" in Latin and another is named after a storm. And it isn't Claire Farron, AKA, Lightning.**

 **P.P.S. Whenever Cloud goes to a different world, I'm gonna make a new story, so as to avoid any kind of confusion.**

 **P.P.P.S Yeah... regarding the whole Multiverse thing... it's gonna be a spinoff story to this one. It's going to be an AU where a younger Cloud will go through other verses. A writer gave me that idea.**

 **Since I'm a cool guy like that, I won't make it a part of this story. Thank you for those who were kind enough to point that out.**

After Cloud recuperated from his normally fatal injuries, he was sent back to the Base of Night Raid. Najenda was proud of the swordsman for doing his job for the sake of the Revolution. Our iconic blond swordsman stood at his usual resting spot. For some reason, he seems fond of this place. It reminded him the place where Zack died. At the edge of a cliff. While yes, it was the death of a hero... it was the birth of another one.

Cloud isn't a perfect person. He's pulled some mistakes here and there. Yet, many think of him as a hero like one of those saviors from those books. While he appreciates the sentiment, he doesn't really feel like one. A small part of him felt like he would never replace Zack. But he gave Cloud the Buster Sword for a reason. His dreams...honor...pride... all of those are stored within the Buster Sword, which would be laying at the cliff hanging out over Midgar. He planned to clean out the rust and put it in Aerith's church... but he died so that idea was well out of the window.

"You seriously seem to be fond of this spot, Cloud." The mako eyed warrior turned around and saw Sheele, making him smile a bit.

"Oh, hey Sheele." He greeted casually, his head turning back.

"So...if it's not too personal... why do you look out here often?" She asked, pushing up her glasses.

He figured it wouldn't hurt to respond, he said "Zack died on a cliff and that was where he gave me his weapon."

"You seem to be fond of him, Cloud." Noted Sheele.

"He was one of my only friends." He admitted, looking down.

"Are we not your friends too?" Sheele puffed up her cheeks, which looked kind of adorable.

"Of course you are. You all can be a bit... odd, but it's nothing I'm not used to." Responded back Cloud.

"Oh..." The glasses clad girl nodded her head.

"So did boss give us another mission?" She shook her head.

"No, I just wanted to be here." Cloud nodded his head.

"Can I get your opinion on something?" The blond swordsman raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"What do you think of us? Of Night Raid?" He cupped a chin, pondering it for a moment.

"Well, for a bunch of assassins you all seem lighthearted. Tatsumi reminds me of how I was before I joined the military but we enlisted for different reasons." Sheele nodded her head, aware of the resemblances the two boys had.

"Lubbock is a bit of a pervert to be honest." The ditzy assassin giggled at that. "But he can at least keep it under wraps when under a mission."

"Akame is cold, a bit standoffish and taciturn but she likes to eat. Especially when I cook for her." Once, when Cloud was washing the dishes, Akame ate his share of the ribs, making him glare at her.

"Mine is... a bit hard to put up with because of how irritating she can act on occasion. She made me carry her whole groceries along with Tatsumi," Admitted the swordsman. She couldn't help but smile at that, aware of her partner's tendency to look for the latest fashion trend.

"Bulat is a cool guy. Though I prefer to keep my distance when he get a bit too close and personal." The mako warrior shivered at the thought.

"Najenda seems like a good boss as well. Though she needs to work on her jokes. They're seriously corny."

"And Leone is really seductive towards me. I can't go around for five minutes without getting involved in some seductive ploy." Her eye twitched in annoyance, remembering all the times she flirted with him.

 _"Wait... why am I jealous?"_ Sheele thought.

"What about me?" Asked the purple haired Night Raider.

"You can be a bit clumsy at times." She hang her head down in shame. "But you really are a nice person. You like to go out your way to protect your friends, one of the things I like about you. Plus, you remind me of Aerith. Both of you tend to have odd quirks unique to either of you." The swordsman admitted, smiling slightly.

"Do you...miss your friends back in your own world?" She asked him.

"In truth... I do. I mean... they protected me and got my back. Sure they can be a bit... annoying but hey, that's what friends do. But to them, they think I'm dead. It doesn't matter now. What matters is that I'm here. And my mission is set out for me: find and purge the source of this corruption. I've faced death and destruction. This kind of life is nothing new to me, in all honesty." He said, giving Sheele a look.

"Besides... I'm... quite happy to have people that can share the same burden as me..." Cloud admitted shyly, scratching his head in embarrassment. Sheele giggled at his actions.

 _"Aww.. he looks kinda cute when embarrassed... wait why did I say that?"_ she thought.

"I need to go train with Bulat and Tatsumi. I'll see you later." Cloud said, waving at Sheele before taking his leave, making Sheele cup a hand on her chin in contemplation.

 _"Wow... he's been through so much... yet he's still willing to fight..."_

 **Training Grounds, Next Day...**

"Alright, Cloud! Let's see what you're made of!" Bulat held out a staff made of wood. Cloud held a sword similar to his weapon, except it was made of wood as well.

The blond swordsman charged at Bulat with intense speed, slashing at him, but the muscular man was able to block it, albeit barely.

 _"Wow... he's actually pushing me back... I can't underestimate him."_ Thought Bulat, jabbing at him with his wooden spear, but Cloud sidestepped the attack with ease.

"Tatsumi, now!" The greenhorn jumped up and prepared an overhead strike, which Bulat was able to block with ease. Cloud took the opportunity to use the blunt end of his weapon and landed a hit on the taller man's gut, making oxygen leave his body momentarily. He was able to land a punch on the muscular man's face when he staggered.

"Hey, where's the boss?" Cloud asked, blocking a strike with his dummy weapon and slashing diagonally, which Bulat dodged without any effort.

"She's giving us another set of targets to assassinate." Replied back the pompadour haired man, trying to make Cloud lose his balance, but ended up failing to do so as he stepped back.

Minutes of repetitive clashing of wood followed for half an hour. After that, Cloud was closing his eyes, trying to focus on that aura.

 _"I might be able to summon that aura from few days ago... I need to focus..."_ Cloud closed his eyes, holding his weapon tightly with his fingers. He slowly concentrated, trying to get a feeling of that same aura from a few days ago.

"Hey, what's Cloud doing?" Asked Tatsumi, seeing his fellow village boy in his state of focus.

"It seems he's trying to concentrate. But what's he trying to do?" Replied back the muscular man.

He tried to get a feel of that same aura... when he got a hold of it, it felt... empowering, as if he was able to do anything. He also felt a familiar prescence within the aura. While yes, its color was black, it didn't feel evil or dark in any way or form, apart from the color. It felt as if... a familiar prescence was there with him.

After a few minutes of concentrating, he didn't feel the same aura. Cloud sighed in disappointment.

 _"Damn it... just how was I even able to summon it?"_ The blond swordsman thought.

"Hey, Cloud. You said that you have seven Limit Breaks, right? Can you do one of them?" Asked Tatsumi. Shrugging his shoulders, he closed his eyes and concentrated. He gripped the blade tightly, focusing his anger and passion to protect his friends and kill those who out his friends in danger. Openeing his eyes, the mako eyed warrior jumped. He sailed so high through the sky that you could hear the sound barrier being broken.

"What the hell!?" Tatsumi's face went slack jawed at seeing him fly so high, while Bulat chuckled.

 _"So this is what he's capable of."_ Thought the black haired man. No one, not even Akame was able to jump that ridiculously high. After a few minutes later, they saw Cloud plummeting down the sky. A mach cloud surrounded him. When he touched the ground, it slightly shook. Tatsumi fell on his ass from the impact to the ground. Bulat laughed heartily.

"Wow. I'm surprised you're capable of even moving that fast." Admitted the user of Incursio.

"Damn! I think you broke the sound barrier!" Cloud couldn't help but scratch his head.

 _"That's what happens when you fight people like Sephiroth."_ He grabbed Tatsumi's hand and helped him up.

"Sorry about that." He apologized sheepishly. Tatsumi looked up and saw Cloud the streamline he left behind from his attack. Akame then came into the training grounds, clad in her apron.

"Cloud, Tatsumi. It's time for breakfast." Akame has seen shirtless guys before but her face turned red when she saw Cloud shirtless. Oddly enough, the scars on his chest seemed to enchance it further. Fortunately, Cloud was oblivious to this, putting on his clothing, Tatsumi following behind him. Akame felt relieved, but also a bit of disappointment from the free show. After freshening up, Cloud and Tatsumi went into the kitchen.

"What're we making?" The swordsman asked him.

"Croquettes and rice." Cloud sweatdropped.

"Overdoing it much?" He deadpanned.

"I don't know what you mean." The red eyed assassin replied back nonchalantly. He gave her a blank look, but he picked up a pan and started cooking.

 _"She's something else isn't she when it comes to food."_ Shaking his head in defeat, but said nothing.

"Damn, that hit the spot!" Leone said, stretching.

"Oh... my poor stomach." Groaned Tatsumi, holding his gut, feeling bloated.

"Where's Mine and Sheele?" Cloud asked.

"They normally sleep late." Akame was about to take their bowls, but Cloud grabbed them before Akame was able to eat them, making her glare at the swordsman. While he wasn't intimidated by the aura, Leone and Tatsumi was, sweating in fear.

"Jeez, take mine." He gave her a half eaten croquette with rice. The dark aura disappeared, followed by sounds of eating. She wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Thank you." Said Akame. The other two sighed in relief. Once more, no one noticed the blush on her face.

"We'll be having tuna and rice for lunch." She stood up and looked at the two newest members of Night Raid.

 _"It hasn't even been a minute and food's already on her mind?"_ Thought the mako eyed warrior, giving her a blank look.

"Oh... Akame ate my bowl again didn't she?" Sheele came down and didn't see her bowl until Cloud passed her one bowl of the food. She smiled at him in thanks and began eating.

"You know, spiky, if you keep giving her your food you'll starve." Leone pointed out, walking alongside her fellow blond.

"I'm not a cannibal to meat unlike her. I don't need to eat that much." Responded back the black clad swordsman.

"So what's the game plan?" The blond beauty asked him.

"I gotta get some fish. You know Akame and her food." Said the swordsman, shaking his head at her seemingly ravenous appetite for food.

"Mind if I come?" Asked the Lionelle user.

"Sure, but I don't think anything exciting will be happening." Replied back Cloud, walking out the door, with Leone right behind him.

 **Minutes of boring shopping later...**

It took nearly three hours just to shop because apparently Akame wanted a certain type of fish that was really rare and hard to find in a grocery store. When Cloud was able to find what he was looking for, it took them a while to pay and get out the store, much to Leone's annoyance.

"Damn it, why did it have to take so long!?" His fellow blond complained, putting her hands behind her head.

"Well, if anything blame your partner. She wanted this fish and if you don't give what she wants in food, she'll rip you to shreds." Leone shivered at that.

"Yeah, no kidding." She made the mistake of stealing a piece of meat from her. Let's just say the aura she gave off was enough to scare away even Bulat, and he doesn't fear anything.

"So... Cloud? I've been meaning to ask you something." He raised an eyebrow,

"What is it?"

"What was your world like?" Asked the golden eyed beauty.

"My village Nibelhiem was up top at the mountains, which was why it was pretty cold there ninety percent of the time. Midgar and Edge... they were really dirty thanks to Shinra." Leone was confused about the last part. "It's basically an electric company, but with a touch of militarism and they rule with an iron fist. I had a lot of memories there when I was an infantryman. Most of them, I don't even wanna bother remembering."

"How was it like?" She asked.

"We were basically cannon fodder to them. They could've cared less if we died. Besides, to them we were replaceable. There were many more like us." Leone frowned at their uncaring nature. While yes, she does enjoy beating the hell out of people, she only sets her fists on her targets, not some random people. And sometimes Lubbock when he doesn't have any chill. She doesn't like beating up anyone who hasn't done anything wrong or cannot defend themselves in any shape or form. Unless of course they're targets working for the Empire, then she can break loose, but otherwise no.

"How could you survive all of those bad things happening to you? Your crush didn't like you back, which was already bad enough. Then you were mistreated by your fellow villagers and your so called "childhood friend" didn't even vouch for you. If this Tifa would've cared for you like she did now, then she should have taken the blame for her injury. Instead, you were the one to take the blame instead of her."

Now that he thought about it, when they were pelting him with rocks, Tifa was nowhere to be seen. When he tried looking for her, he ended up getting his ass kicked out by her own father. The only reason he was so optimistic back then was because he was a child and like all children, they all tend to have a positive and vibrant demeanor. No one liked him back in Nibelhiem and Tifa wasn't even close to him.

 _"I guess... I've been lying to myself about Tifa this whole time... we really aren't close. Sure, we were next door neighbors but it wasn't like we talked to each other. I always thought that I could be perfect for her... but... she needs someone else to protect her. Someone who is more capable than me. I'm also dead in my own world, so it isn't like I can just go back anyway."_ Realization went through his mind, recognizing this epiphany.

"Yeah..." he said after a few silent moments. "I guess I was just lying to myself. All my life... I had no one and even if I did, I either pushed them away or they died. Well, it doesn't matter now. If there's one thing I learned from Geostigma, it's to move on. I can't fix my past mistakes and failures, but that doesn't mean I can't fix future ones. I have to forge on forward. Sure, Tifa may have done some good to me, but now that you mentioned it... why didn't she stand up for me and admit her faults when I was being bullied by those people?" Cloud sighed at his misfortunes.

"Oh, well. Too late to ask. Now come on, we need to get back to base before Akame fillets us for being late." Said the blond swordsman.

 **Night Raid Base...**

After dropping off the groceries to the red eyed killer, she immediately got to work on the fish, chopping them with ease. Cloud swore he saw a puddle of drool from her mouth to the ground, making him sweatdrop at her carnivorous nature.

 _"And I thought Yuffie had a big appetite when it comes to food."_ Thought the mako eyed warrior.

"Hey, Cloud? Can I talk to you for a second?" Tatsumi asked the swordsman.

"What is it?" He asked back, chopping a few pieces of fish.

"How did... you get so strong? I mean, given your best you can even defeat the likes of Akame and even Bro. I know from your adventures you've been through a whole lot of crap, but not a lot of people have a lot of willpower to survive what you have endured." Cloud closed his eyes, thinking for a moment.

"Here's the thing about suffering. It can break someone down physically and emotionally. But if you can get the will to forge on, you can come out even stronger than ever. I've been through so much, I don't even think I can get happiness anymore. I mean... it's hard to move on from those experiences. Even now, I'm haunted by my own mistakes. In truth, I would be more than happy to give all of this up. My skills... my powers... I'd be happy to give them all up to see my friends alive and well." Said the blond mako eyed warrior to Tatsumi.

"Was that why you saved Sayo and Ieyasu? Because you don't want the same thing happening to me?" He asked Cloud,

"Yeah. You reminded me of myself when I wanted to join the military. I was optimistic and a bit shy. But when Sephiroth turned my hometown into cinders... I stopped being the withdrawn village boy because such a personality can get you killed in the real world." Answered Cloud, taking the fish out of the frying pan and laid it on the table, steam coming out of the recently cooked masterpiece.

"I need to train for a bit. Tell Akame I cooked the fish for her like she wanted."

"Okay, see ya." Cloud opened the door and created a beeline to the forest.

 **Near the Night Raid Base, in a nearby forest.**

Picking up his trusty Fusion Sword, he closed his eyes and focused, the broadsword resting on his shoulders. He felt the strong surge of that mysterious aura when he was training with Bulat and Tatsumi, but it disappeared when he lost focus. For some reason, that aura felt familiar to him. It felt rejuvenating yet at the same time, it was also filled with darkness. He felt as if the mako eyes warrior was manipulating both the forces of light and dark.

While he did not have any training, due to him inheriting the skills of his late friend. Yet, despite having none, a few people noted of his innate skills with a sword. Even Legend, the Turk Death God noted and praised his skill with a blade. A pity those people did not put him in SOLDIER.

Channeling his anger, he slammed down the blade with great force. So much was the power of the strike that it left a small crater on the ground from where he slammed the blade. He wounded the earth, leaving an open wound on its soil.

 _"Protect those I care about... destroy those who harm my friends... I am never letting anyone else I care about die on my watch. Akame, Leone, Sheele, Tatsumi... you all suffered since childhood. All of you suffered so much under the hands of this cruel and twisted world. No more shall I stand by and do nothing while the ones I care about are in danger. No more running away. Fighting is in my blood. As long as I am the legacy of Zack Fair, I will keep on fighting for what is right. Night Raid may not be exactly superheroes, but from what I know about this hellish world... it needs to be stopped. The corruption... the hatred... everything needs to stop, and that's why... I WILL PROTECT MY FRIENDS!"_ Opening his eyes, he spun with great vigor, leaving behind a tornado within his wake. The attack was strong enough to fell a few trees and create strong winds. Leaves blew within the radius of the attack. He smirked a little bit, seeing how damaging his attacks were.

 _"Even after two years of no fighting, I still haven't lost my touch yet."_ He then felt a nearby presence, but it lacked killer intent. Yet, for some reason, the aura she was emanating was enough to send shivers down his spine. And it wasn't because of danger.

"You can come out now." He said towards its source. He saw Leone, a pout on her face.

"Aww, how were you able to find me? I kept myself hidden." She crossed her arms under her bust, making them look bigger, but Cloud didn't care less.

"I knew you were there." Was his mere reply.

"Damn, spiky. How were you able to pull something so powerful?" She asked him, crossing her arms.

"Years of practice and blood. Sure, these fighting skills aren't my own, but fighting for so long, I've gotten used to them." Said Cloud towards her, twirling his sword.

"What the hell!? How can you carry something so big?!" Her eyes widened at the size of his weapon. The mako eyed warrior smirked slightly, used to getting the reaction about the size of his weapon. Yet, for some reason it never gets old to see their jaws drop at the sheer size and weight of his sword.

"You wanna try carrying it?" She nodded her head.

"Here. Try picking it up." He planted the whole broadsword on the ground. Leone cracked her knuckles and rested her hands on the hilt. She tried pulling back, but the sword was planted firmly on the ground, stuck as if someone put adhesive in it. She tried to pull back with all her effort, but despite her strength, not even she was able to yank out the Fusion Sword.

"Let me try this." She activated Lionelle, her hair turning longer, her arms turning into claws and gaining an additional pair of cat ears. She once more tried to pull it out of the Earth, but she made little progress, making it budge slightly. Eventually, she gave up, panting a little bit out of exhaustion.

"Damn, how heavy is that thing!?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe a couple hundred pounds." Replied back the former user of the Buster Sword. His former weapon was 80 pounds at most, but his Fusion Sword was probabaly twice or thrice the Buster Sword's weight. Yet, he can still swing it and jump as if it was made of nothing more than mere wood.

"Damn, you don't look that muscular." She commented.

"Looks can be deceiving, you know." He disassembled the Fusion Sword, putting them back into their respective sheaths.

"Well, if you're really that strong..." her grin turned seductive. "I wanna see how you are in bed." She teased him, grinning cattily.

Cloud said nothing at her flirtatious attempts and leaned towards her. If she wants to play this game, then he may as well.

"Well... why don't you find out." He leaned towards her face, inches from each other. Leone's heart started to pound faster the more she was close to him. Waiting for the desirable moment, she closed her eyes and prepared herself, only to hit air. Opening her eyes, she saw her fellow blond walking towards the base.

"I'm hungry and I think Akame already cooked food. Better not keep her waiting." He said, not stopping his pace. A few seconds passed by until reality caught up with her.

"I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT, CLOUD STRIFE!" She yelled towards him. He merely ignored her warnings, opening the door and expecting a feast, knowing the red eyed killer's ravenous nature.

 _"Well... Guess Aerith is rubbing off on me."_ Thought Cloud. He still remembers the times when she tried to flirt with the swordsman. Needless to say, Tifa's face was scrunched up in jealousy. While Cloud may be a bit dense in terms of romance, he was able to pick up pretty quick that both of them had taken an interest in the swordsman as they try to get close to him whenever possible. They were subtle at trying to be possessive at first, but they were doing it so much to the point where Cloud was able to pick up the signs. He tried to play as the "dense guy." so as to not make things even more awkward between the three of them.

 **Minutes of eating later...**

It was nighttime within the Empire. Najenda gathered everyone up within the living room because of a new target set out for them.

"Well, according to my superiors, there's a man that appears only at night, killing people indiscriminately. There aren't any patterns on his killings nor does he target anyone." She said.

"I heard a third of those victims were Imperial Guards, so he has to be strong then." Interjected Tatsumi.

"No doubt about it. Sounds like the work of Headhunter Zanku." Said Lubbock.

"Huh? Who's that?" Cloud asked.

"Wow, you really live from the sticks aren't you?" Mine asked with a deadpan stare. Everyone gave her a look to say, "You're kidding, right?" Realizing her mistake, she shut up, her face red in embarrassment.

"Sorry, I don't know who he is, either." Said Sheele, raising her hand.

"He slipped your mind, Sheele."

"So... what's the deal about this guy?" Asked Cloud, leaning on a wall and crossing his arms.

"Headhunter Zanku used to be the executioner for one of the biggest prisons within the Empire. Honest ordered a lot of executions. He chopped off their heads repeatedly... one by one... while they begged for mercy... eventually, he thought that the prison wasn't enough, so he decided to take his habits out on the streets." The mako eyed warrior shook his head in pity. This guy didn't seem bad... but Cloud couldn't do anything while a man chops people's head off and from the words of Mine, it was almost as if it was a hobby.

 _"Still... that fat bastard needs to pay for what he's done to these people. They suffer while he haves fun within his palace. What kind of a person doesn't care about the lives of others? Then again... I was like that too when I had amnesia..."_ said the spiky blond.

"Damn. I can see why he'd do this. Such an experience could mess a guy's psyche." Admitted the Guardian of the Lifestream.

"Which is why we need to do this now!" Tatsumi pounded the table with his right fist, leaving a small dent on the table.

 _"At least he's improved in combat and strength."_

"Hold up, Tatsumi. Zanku stole the warden's Imperial Arms." He then cupped Tatsumi's face.

"Which is why we should travel in pairs, so that no one gets hurt..." he finished getting closer to him.

 _"I think it's not Zanku he has to deal with."_ Thought the blond warrior with a blank look. Though he couldn't help but feel for the guy because he has been the receiving end of that look when guys looked at him while he was crossdressed to save Tifa. If he were given an opportunity to wipe out one memory from his brain, it would be that one. He felt part of his dignity die when he slipped on the outfit.

"So... which Imperial Arms do you have?" Akame then pointed her sword at him.

"This is mine." She said.

"Uh... I can see that." Tatsumi sweat bullets at the sight of the weapon, especially since it's at close proximity.

"Here's the thing: The Imperial Arms were made by the First Emperor over one thousand years ago. He was at the age of dying and was getting weak. So, he ordered people around the world to create some of the most powerful weapons ever created. They were forged from the parts of Danger Beasts and exteremely rare metals such as orichalcum. Centuries thereafter, there was a civil war the broke out of the Empire and as a result, over more than half of the Imperial Arms went up missing."

"And these are the Imperial Arms created long ago?" Najenda nodded her head.

"Akame's sword is called One-Hit Killer: Murasame. Much as the name implies anyone cut by the weapon can either get sliced in two or if they were to survive, a poisonous curse will erupt from your body, stopping your heart from beating. There isn't a cure for it."

 _"Damn... I may be able to withstand being stabbed in the chest... but If I were to get hit by that... I'd be dead. But... I think the mako in my body gives me resistance and even immunity to a few poisons. But I'd rather not find out." Thought Cloud._

"Leone possesses The King of Beasts: Lionel. It grants the user enhanced speed, strength and reflexes."

 _"Sounds like something Tifa would like to have, considering she's a fist fighter herself."_

"Sheele's Imperial Arm is called Shears of Creation: Extase. It's an extremely durable pair of scissors that can cut almost anything. They could also be used as a shield if need be."

 _"It could also be useful for cutting people in half."_

Lubbock's Imperial Arm is called Infinite Uses: Cross Tail. Like the name, it can be used for a variety of ways. From laying out traps to directly attacking them, it is an extremely versatile weapon.

 _"But it can be also difficult to use since it isn't your typical weapon."_

"Mine's Imperial Arm is called Roman Artillery: Pumpkin. It fires bullets in the shape of mental energy. The greater danger a person is in, the more powerful it can be."

 _"So, like my Limit Breaks then."_

"Demon Armor: Incursio. It has nearly impregnable defense, with only other Imperial Arms being able to dent its steel. Some Imperial Arms possess a Trump Card. Incursio has the ability to make its user become invisible."

Cloud nodded his head, processing the information until he felt a pair of arms on his back.

"Since you know our secrets, you have to join us." Threaten Lubbock, a string on his neck.

"Is that a threat?" Fired back the blond swordsman, making Lubbock shiver in fear at the look he was giving him. He then felt an arm wrapped around him.

"Relax, spiky. We're telling you this because we trust you. Oh, and also..." she tightened her grip on him. "Don't think I've forgotten about your little stunt earlier." She purred seductively. Now it was Cloud's turn to feel a shiver down his spine.

"One of the captains were using something called a Shingu." Cloud informed Najenda, who had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Huh, didn't think they would be using it again." She pondered aloud. Everyone gained a confused look except for Akame.

 _"She must know a thing or two about those..."_

"Shingu are like Imperial Arms, but weaker. An earlier emperor tried making them in hopes of surpassing the Imperial Arms. But they didn't have the resources compared back to the days of the First Emperor. While they are inferior to the Teigu in terms of power, you shouldn't underestimate their power." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Enough talk. Time to put this executioner to rest! Bring forth judgement!"

 **Later...**

The mako eyed warrior paired up with Akame, Mine with Sheele and Bulat with Lubbock.

"Well... this is our patrol area." Said the red eyed killer, walking around a street. Cloud just leaned on a wall and closed his eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Akame... you had a Shingu didn't you?" Cloud asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. It was called Kiriichimonji. It's special ability is that any wounds cut by it can never heal." Cloud grimaced at hearing that. While his mako body can tolerate lots of pain, just the thought of bleeding forever made him cringe.

"I brought snacks." She brought out a small pouch and gave it to him. Feeling his stomach growl in hunger, Cloud grabbed the bag and opened it. Inside was a small sandwich with a fried boneless chicken on the middle.

 _"Of course there aren't vegetable_ _s in this."_ Thought the blond swordsman. Nevertheless, he took a small bite, with the taste exploding within his mouth.

"Wow. This is good." Admitted Cloud, eating more of it.

"Thank you." She responded back, nodding shyly. It was silent for a few minutes, with both of them eating their respective sandwiches.

"Akame... you had a history with the Empire, didn't you?" Asked the blond swordsman. The red eyed killer froze up, a hesitant look in her eyes. Reluctantly, she nodded her head.

"If you don't wanna tell me, then fine. If there's one thing I know about traumatic pasts is that they're hard to even tell." The main reason Cloud bottles up his feelings and not open is because he feels like no one can understand his pain. While yes, his friends did suffer as well, none of them know what it's like to be controlled, in body and mind. When Sephiroth controlled him, he could see his body move. He could see every action Sephiroth was forcing him to commit... but Cloud didn't have a willpower strong enough to fight back. As hard as he could try, before the final first battle between him and the One Winged Angel, he could not break free of his control, treating him like a mere puppet.

"No... you told us your past, and it's only fair that I tell mine." Akame looked down, a sad look in her eyes, but it was well hidden thanks to her stoic mask.

"My parents sold me and my sister Kurome into slavery. We were captured by the government nad they forced us to survive inside a forest. Many died within the test, but me, Kurome and along a few people survived."

 _"Wow... a parent selling their own children... just how cruel can this world be?"_ Anger rose within his body, but didn't say anything.

"They thought it would be bad for me and Kurome to be together, so they decided to separate us. Me, along with six others formed the Elite Seven. All of us were trained elite assassins with the task of killing those within the Revolutionary Army. The more O worked for the Empire, the more suspicious I've been. I felt like something was wrong within this wretched place. That the Empire was corrupt."

"From what I've seen, you aren't wrong. I just can't believe man is capable of such evils. It's sickening. Not even Shinra was this cruel." Akame gained a confused look on her face.

"Who's Shinra?" Asked the red eyed killer.

"Shinra is a power company. It was like the Empire, as it ruled the world with an iron fist. They ruled the world using their influence and money. Like the government, Shinra was corrupt as well. While a few people, like my friend Zack were good, many others had bad intentions. Professor Hojo, the leader of the Science Division, experimented on me and used me as his guinea pig."

"Is that why your eyes are glowing blue?" She asked him.

"Yeah. That's the side effect of having major energy within your body." Akame nodded her head.

"How did you find the boss?" Asked the blond swordsman.

"The Empire sent me to kill her. But she was able to convince me to join the revolution. She told me about the corrupt nature of this world and its hellish conditions. Her words swayed me to join Night Raid." An approving look went on Cloud's face.

"What of your sister?"

"I tried to convince her to join... but Kurome wasn't able to come with me."

 _"Oh... that means they'll have to fight someday..."_ Just the thought of fighting one of his friends is an arduous task for him, as he swore to protect the people he cares, not destroy them.

"So... are you going to kill your own sister?" Asked Cloud.

Akame was about to answer when the swordsman's senses were on high alert.

 _"Damn it, Tatsumi's in trouble!"_ Thought Cloud. Taking out the main blade, he ran towards where his instincts were telling him to, with Akame following him from behind.

"Where are we going!?"

"Tatsumi's in trouble! I think he found the killer!"

 **Meanwhile...**

Wounds were on the greenhorn's body. Tatsumi was panting heavily and his stamina was running low.

"Come on, is that all you got!? I wanna hear you scream more!" Taunted Zanku towards Tatsumi, pointing his finger at him.

"I wanna hear you beg for your life! It just makes it more sweeter when I chop off your damn head!" The green eyed village boy gritted his teeth, but didn't say anything.

"Why should I beg for you? All you do is chop off people's heads as if it was a hobby. I ain't begging you for shit!" Shouted Tatsumi to him.

"Very well then." Both fighters charged towards each other, their weapons clashing momentarily then passing each other. Blood drew out near Tatsumi's neck, but was otherwise unaffected. A cut was on Zanku's cheek.

"Wow. Expert Executioner, huh? Says the one that missed my neck." He smirked, making Zanku even more pissed off.

"SHUT UP AND DIE!" Just then, a familiar silver sword popped down within their view. A certain black clad blond swordsman jumped down from their view and picked up the blade.

"Ah, another head for me to separate from the body. Tell me, lad what's your name?" Zanku asked the swordsman.

"Cloud Strife, if you must know." He replied cooly, resting the main blade on his shoulders.

 _"The Empire turned him into this monster... it was Honest's fault this man became what he is today. But it's inexcusable because of the lives lost. I need to put him out of his misery."_

"Cloud, be careful. That eyeball thing can read your mind!" He warned his fellow village boy.

"Huh, is that so?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed. I can read your movements just by reading your mind." Said the Executioner with a wicked grin on his face.

"Well, you can read my mind. But can you keep up?" Cloud dashed, leaving nothing but a small cloud of dust. He rushed towards Zanku, who barely blocked his attack.

 _"Damn, he was fast! I couldn't keep up for a second there. This could be troublesome..."_

 _"So... he blocked my attack, huh? Interesting..."_ Backflipping, Cloud tried to hit him from behind, but Zanku, detecting him thanks to Spectator blocked the attack, but every attack from him felt like his arms were getting hit by cannons.

 _"Damn... His weapon isn't that big... yet I feel it pushing me back..."_ Taking out another blade, he dual wielded both of them like a boss.

"Let's see you try this out." He closed his eyes and focused for a bit.

 _"Well done.. he cleared his mind... but Spectator can detect your next move via subtle movements. Your next move won't- huh!?"_ Suddenly, Cloud was behind him, a smirk on his face.

"Cross Slash!" Using both blades, he struck three times, leaving the kanji "Mistortune" painted red on his back. The attack launched him forward, but the Empire's Executioner recovered in time.

"How! Spectator was supposed to detect your next move!" Cloud's face remained stony.

"I fought worse enemies than a man who can predict my moves." It was true. Zanku was strong with his ability to detect his movements, but he wasn't even close to Sephiroth or even Kadaj's league.

"Tell me, Cloud do you ever hear the voices?" He raised an eyebrow.

"What voices?"

"You can hear them can't you? All the people I've killed. They were begging for my mercy. But I did my job as an executioner. I took off their heads. Eventually, it became so bad that not even alcohol can drown out the horrible voices. I keep talking to drown out the noise." Cloud shook his head in pity. The thought of slaughtering many innocents drove him insane. While he hesitates to kill a man like him, it was his job... as a member of Night Raid.

"In truth, I don't hear any voices. Yes, I've taken lives before and often with regret, but my mind isn't past sanity yet." Zanku's face was disappointed.

"I see. You seem like a skilled soldier yourself. Those eyes... they show determination and resolve. A pity you don't share the same pain as me!" Zanku was able to pick him up and grab him by the neck, but the mako eyed warrior dropped his weapons, kicked him on the face and backflipped. He picked up both blades and gave him a blank, stoic look.

Just then, the sky turned red. Within Zanku's place was...

"Tifa?" Indeed, he found his childhood friend right in front of him, her ruby red eyes looking at Cloud's sapphire blue ones.

"Cloud! Whoever you're seeing isn't real! It's an illusion set up by Zanku!" But his words fell on deaf ears, seeing the sight in front of him.

"Cloud... I missed you so much." She opened her arms, as if wanting a hug. A small part of him hesitated, but he was estatic to see her once more... his childhood friend... until her grin turned wicked. Before she could get close, Cloud slashed, leaving a small trail of blood.

"How!? You were supposed to see the one you care about the most!" Cloud's face turned into a sneer.

"You think this was the first time my mind was toyed with. I've seen your illusions before. While I admit... the sight was nostalgic... it wasn't the real her. You'll pay for using my mind!" Cloud dashed forward, putting more speed into his strides.

 _"Damn it, I can't keep up!"_ Zanku tried to block all of his attacks, but Cloud was slowly pressuring him into a corner. Eventually, his blades broke, leaving him defenseless.

 _"No!"_

"Your're done." He shoved the main and impact blade within his heart. Taking both of them out and swiping them a few times to remove the stain of blood, he put them back into their respective sheaths. His face wasn't one of triumph, but regret.

"Close your eyes forevermore, Zanku. May you Rest In Peace." Cloud said somberly to the executioner, walking towards Tatsumi.

 _"The voices... they have stopped... thank you... for ending my suffering... Cloud... Strife..."_ a huge smile was on his face, happy his eternal torment has finally come to an end.

"You okay?" He offered him a helping hand, which he took.

"Yeah, thanks for the save!" Tatsumi couldn't help but envy Cloud. He was leagues ahead of Tatsumi, it made him jealous. Yet... despite being a strong fighter, he doesn't brag about what he's good at. He shows it with his swords, not his words.

 _'"Prime Minister Honest... when I see you... you're going to die. I may not be a saint... I've done things I've regretted... but I will never, EVER be as heartless as you. I'll see to it your death signals an era of peace."_

 **Sorry about the late upload...school's been starting to suck lately. Starting next chapter, there won't be as much elements leading to a romance... yet. Cloud will be going into other verses... I know I said that I'll only stick with this verse... but hey, why not? Many worlds out there need Cloud's help. And he'll be happy to do it. Reviews are appreciated but if you wanna be an ass then don't bother being here, period.**

 **To repeat the foreword: It won't be a part of "A Hero's Redemption." A few of you are complaining about how you don't want it to be a part of this story... so fine. I'll amuse you guys and make it a separate story. The whole Multiverse thing is an AU spinoff of a younger Cloud going through other places. Thank you for pointing that out.**


	6. Wings Take Flight

**I take everything back about what I said last chapter. I realized that I have messed up and no one wanted this to be a Multiverse, and I would respect that. So... as of this moment, it will not be a Multiverse. But I will do a separate story where a younger Cloud will go to another world of my choosing and save it, but he will retain the powers he acquired from this story. Thanks for pointing that out.**

 **As for the pairings... many want harem, others do not. Either way I slice this, It's a win-lose. Also, for those who put their reviews in Spanish, I am not fluent at it at all.**

Cloud found himself within a dark abyss. Nothing could be seen, except the pitch black surrounding the area.

 _"Huh... where am I?"_ Thought the blond swordsman. He could not move anywhere, as he was suspended in midair, unable to use his limbs or even move his head. Suddenly, Cloud felt himself go upright, gravity letting him down slowly.

 _"Alright. Time to find out what's going on here."_ Thought the legacy of Zack Fair. He started walking around, seeing nothing but blackness. Cloud scanned left and right to try and get a good feel of his location, but could not see anything. A small light illuminated the way whenever he goes, but that was basically his only light source. Seeing something in the distance, Cloud began to walk towards the little object. When he got close to the mysterious object, he was able to identify it pretty quick.

It was a full sized adult gray wolf, with thick, clean shaggy, well trimmed fur. Its posture was upright, but it wasn't tense. Oddly enough, the wolf's eyes were glowing blue, like Cloud's. The full grown animal was looking at the swordsman with scrutiny, as if wondering what he'll do.

Relucantly, Cloud reached out his left hand towards the creature. It made no hostile movements, staying submissive. When his gloved hand touched its fur, he felt the softness of it. It was almost like touching a pillow, if that pillow if a deadly predator. A small smile found its way onto his face.

Just then, the wolf bounded away at a fast pace. When it got a good enough distance from Cloud, it was looking at him.

 _"Does he... want me to follow him?"_ Thought the mako eyed warrior. Curiosity got the better of the swordsman. Shaking his head, he jogged towards the predator animal.

He doesn't know how long he has been running, but wherever the wolf went, Cloud followed him. While he was running, he felt a myriad of memeores overflowing his mind.

 _"Cloud... Let us help you..."_

 _"Cloud, the Planet needs your help!"_

 _"Dilly dally shilly shally. Isn't it time you did the forgiving?"_

The memories overloaded Cloud's mind. They were going to an incredibly fast pace, but he needed to shrug them off. Wherever this wolf was leading him... he needed to know.

After running for so long, Cloud saw a small tunnel up ahead.

 _"Is that the exit?"_ The former Buster Sword user asked himself. Despite the white light up ahaead, the wolf didn't stop its pace, in fact it's strides were getting faster. When Cloud got close enough, he along with the wolf were swallowed by the light.

He expected to wake up... only to find himself with a familiar place.

 _"Wait... this is..."_

Indeed, it was the same area when Aerith and Zack told him of his mission within the Empire. The familiar scent of flowers... the all white background except for the green grass on the ground...

 _"Why did that wolf lead me here?"_ Thought the black-clad swordsman. The wolf stopped, turned around and sat down, looking at him. The next action it took surprised him.

 **"We shall meet again, Cloud Strife."** A deep, baritone voice rang out. While Cloud didn't see the wolf's mouth move, he could tell it was coming directly from the canine mammal. Before Cloud could process what happened, the wolf then suddenly jumped towards him. Before he could react, he was swallowed in darkness.

The mako eyed warrior woke up with a start. Beads of sweat was running down his forehead.

 _"It was only... a dream... yet... that wolf felt so real... and its presence is so familiar..."_ Thought Cloud. Many questions were running through the young man's head. Who was that creature? What was its connection to him? And better yet, why was its eyes glowing... Not even Shinra was cruel on experimenting it on animals... probably.

Hearing some light snoring, Cloud looked down and saw a familiar purple haired girl, snoozing soundly on the foot of his bed.

 _"I... guess I'm training with Sheele today?"_ The legacy of Zack Fair sweatdropped at this. He was wondering how and why is she in his room.

"Huh..." she groaned out. The ditzy assassin then rubbed her eyes, trying to clear them of dirt. Cloud had to admit Sheele looks kinda cute without her glasses.

"Good... Morning, Cloud... you'll be training under me today... I look forward to working with you..." Said the glasses-clad assassin in a sleepy tone, trying to get her bearings. In an attempt to get up, her spectacles fell on the floor, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Oblivious to her limited vision, she turned around and faced who she thought was Cloud, but instead was a wall.

"Hello there..." The blond couldn't help but feel a bit amused at how she was trying to find him, but instead facing the wrong way.

"Ah! Where are my glasses- oh!" She freaked out for a minute, finally realizing that she lost her glasses, making him sweatdrop at her comical and amusing reaction. Picking them up, she said, "Let's get to work, shall we?" In a kind tone.

 _"For a cold hearted killer... she can be a bit scatterbrained... guess that doesn't stop her."_ Thought the mako eyed warrior.

After hitting the nice, cold shower and drying out his face and spiky hair, he donned his clothes, which were recently laundered thanks to a certain red eyed killer and went towards the kitchen.

"Ah, hello there Cloud!" Said Najenda, eating an apple.

"Hey, boss." Najenda has earned his respect. He can tell from her ambition and desire that she does want this country free from its old ways. But sadly, thanks to her handicap, she isn't as powerful as Akame or Bulat, here. That of course, doesn't mean she isn't capable of fighting.

"Do ya think it's ok to put Sheele in charge?" Asked a certain green haired pervert, peeling a banana.

Cloud frowned at that. Sure, Sheele is a ditz but she isn't that much of a ditz.

"Oh, trust me, Cloud and Tatsumi are in good hands. Oddly enough, our resident blond was able to grow close to some of women here."

"Yep! That's why I call dibs on training him next!" Her fellow blond couldn't help but gulp at that.

 _"If her idea of "training" is tying me to a bed then I'm not interested."_ Yeah... one of his deliveries... let's just say it involved a highly perverted woman, some rope, lots of tying and creepy laughter. And a possible restraining order.

 _"Seriously... how is this even happening to me?"_ Cloud thought in disdain. While many guys (read: Lubbock) wants to be in the same boat as him, it's harder and more annoying that it sounds fun, in all honesty.

 **(He He He.)** A voice boomed out of nowhere.

 _"What did I hear just now..."_

"DAMN IT THAT IS SUCH BULLSHIT!" Lubbock cried to the heavens for his unfairness, wondering why he gets no woman. **(AN: Gee, I wonder why, Lubb.)**

"I guess you can say... Cloud's a lady killer." Said Najenda confidently with a smirk on her face. Leone and Lubbock had aghast look on their faces while the spiky blond pinched his nose in annoyance.

 _"Well... there goes my sense of humor."_

"Eh, better luck next time." Akame then came into the area, her long hair tied to a ponytail.

"For lunch, we'll have some mabo tofu with beef and rice, if that's fine."

"You know, I think you should separate the beef and the-"

"Sounds good!" Interrupted the silver haired ex-general and the buxom blonde.

"Maybe with also a little bit of fried chicken."

 _"If your idea of little is the size of an adult cow, then yes, it's little."_ Despite being with Night Raid for over a month, he could never get used to Akame's ravenous nature to food.

"Umm... isn't that overdoing it?" Asked Lubbock.

"Sounds good!" A depression cloud fell over his head.

"Hey Cloud..women here are ravenous don't you think?" Lubbock turned around and saw Cloud eating half of a cantaloupe. The other half was on the table, peeled of its nutrients.

"Her food could use some vegetables, but otherwise they're okay." He walked out the kitchen, throwing the husk of the fruit into a garbage can without looking.

"Well, someone was hungry." Chuckled the boss.

 **Near the Waterfall...**

Tatsumi was struggling to get up because of the armor he donned. It felt like his body was being weighed down by lead, which to some extent it was.

"Congrats, you learned how to swim in armor!" The green eyed boy was struggling to move his legs due to the extra weight.

"Ugh... where's a damn apple when you need one?" Someone threw the fruit at him, which he caught.

"What the hell, man!?" He glared at Cloud, who shrugged.

"You wanted an apple right?" Shrugging his shoulders, he began to eat the fruit.

"Hey, Cloud did you sleep well?" Sheele asked with a bright smile on her cute face.

Cloud still remembered the vivid dream regarding the wolf, but he shook his head.

"Yeah, I slept fine." He replied back to her.

"So, how's he doing?" Cloud asked.

"Tatsumi's still on the naive side, but he's showing signs of improvement."

 _"That's good, considering how cruel this world can be."_ Thought the blond warrior.

"Hey, I haven't seen you do any chores lately, how come?" Asked Tatsumi. Sheele's face went blank.

"I tried to cook... but I burnt the meat which made Akame a little upset... I tend to cause trouble for Bulat whenever I clean... Leone cracked up when I mistook salt for sugar and I ended up washing Mine along with the clothes."

 _"For some reason, I didn't seem to mind the last one."_ Thought Cloud. While Mine is a nice person, she has a tendency to act like a spoiled rich brat, much to the village boys' annoyance.

"I'm so sorr..." Her glasses dropped from her face, limiting her field of vision. She tried to look for it, but to no avail.

"Here." Cloud picked up her glasses and put it on her face.

"Thank you." The legacy of Zack nodded his head.

"How'd you land a gig like this?" Tatsumi asked him.

"Well, it's kind of a long story. I grew up in the older parts of the Imperial Capital. I could barely do a single thing. I wasn't proud of anything I did and as a result, people tended to make fun of me for being a klutz."

 _"Wow... I knew her clumsiness was bad but I didn't think it's go that far..."_ He can only shake his head in pity. Sure, she can be a bit scatterbrained, but Sheele didn't deserve such a treatment.

"I had a friend. She was nice and really care for me, despite my clumsy nature. Even when I screw up, she doesn't seem to mind. Ever since I met her, I felt like I could truly feel companionship... until one day..."

Both village boys scowled.

"Her ex-boyfriend came in and choked her because she broke up with him. When I saw her get choked, I just... grabbed the knife and stabbed his head, killing him instantly. I needed to find a way to save her and that was the only way I could think of. She was shivering on the floor... yet I stood calm and my mind was clear. The events were written off as self defense and they let me go without any trouble... but I never saw my friend again." Her expression turned sad.

 _"At least... your friend isn't dead. Look at me, two of my friends are gone. But still... she hasn't heard from her so she may as well be dead..."_

"A few days later, the friend of her ex came in while I was getting groceries. They apparently killed my parents and said I was next on their list. Yet... despite hearing my parents died... I didn't care and felt strangely calm. One tried to attack me... so I struck. I mercilessly killed all of his friends with ease. And after that... I realized something. I feel ueseful when I take out the trash of society. I feel like if I could kill bad people... I can finally have a use for myself and others."

The mako eyed warrior can't helo but feel sad at hearing that. Sheele's past was somewhat similar to his in many ways. Both were born lonely, but later on they found someone who cared for them and treated them right only for that friend to disappear, never to be seen again. In Cloud's case, Zack's dead and from Sheele's case, she disappeared into who knows where.

"Sheele, you really shouldn't think like that." Said Cloud, crossing his arms.

"What do you mean?" She asked, tilting her head like a curious puppy.

"Look, don't think of yourself as nothing more than a killer. You talk about yourself as if you're nothing more than a tool. People really shouldn't have such a mindset like that. I too have taken lives, but mostly out of self-defense. But now that I'm here, I need to take out the corruption rampaging this twisted world. Sure, you can come off as a bit... scatterbrained but we still care for you. Everyone had flaws and no one is considered perfect. Just because you trip up a few times doesn't mean you deserve to be picked on. It... really isn't fair to be ostracized because of your clumsiness. You are a person, Sheele. You can do more than just killing." Cloud normally isn't one to rant, but he couldn't help but feel angered and pitiful towards her because of how she views herself as. It just isn't right to be thought of as a tool of war, not a person with emotions.

Sure, to others Cloud can come off as a bit stoic, due to his visage being the "I-Don't-Give-A-Fuck" visage, but underneath his stoic demeanor is a person who would willingly risk his lives for those he loves.

 _"Plus... I felt... warm when Sheele hugged me... I guess... a small part of me wants to feel that same warmth... it felt... comfortable."_

"Thank you, Cloud..." Replied the ditzy assassin, her face a slight tinge of red. She felt... happy that someone other than her friend Mine thinks of her as such.

A small smile graced the stoic swordsman's face. Tatsumi nodded in approval.

"Say, I wonder if I can really do this..."

"Don't worry because unlike me, you can cook pretty well." A depression cloud fell over his head, making the blond warrior snicker. He gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Nice going, Tatsumi!" Just then, Bulat came out of the water shirtless, flaunting his biceps, which were muscular enough to put a hormonal girl into a hospital because out of blood loss. The faces of the village boys went blank.

 _"Well... this is... interesting to say the least. It almost reminds me of Gaia."_ He thought.

 **Night Raid Headquarters...**

Everyone gathered up within the living room.

"Tatsumi, have your wounds healed yet?" He nodded his head.

"Here. It's the Imperial Arm that we stole from Zanku. I need you to try it on." The green eyed boy put it on his head without any hesitation.

"Zanku said that it can read people's mind right? I want you to try it on me." Asked Akame. Tatsumi focused for a few seconds until he came up with an answer.

"I can't wait to eat meat tonight!" Akame gasped at that, surprised that he knew her thoughts.

"Tatsumi, that's what she thinks 90% of the time." Cloud deadpanned, giving him a blank look.

"Try something else, I don't want it reading my mind." He groaned, but nonetheless complied. Tatsumi sat down crossed legged and focused for a minute.

 _"Oh, random ability I don't know about... activate now!"_ Spectator's eye opened and Tatsumi saw... Akame, Sheele and Mine in their underwear.

"Gah!" He felled back in surprise.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Mine asked him.

 _"Damn... this is such a wonderful power... who made this."_ Tatsumi's dirty thoughts were kicking in at the sight of the trio women wearing somewhat skimpy clothing. Suddenly, Tatsumi felt a headache come on.

"I'm taking it off!" Akame ripped the eyeball from him.

"It seems it wasn't compatible." Said Cloud.

"What about you, Cloud? Let's try it on." He shook his head.

"This is the only weapon I need." He replied back.

"Well, even if you don't want it we need data of Spectator."

"Fine, give it to me." Akame handed him the eyeball. Cloud swiped up some of his hair and put the Imperial Arm on his forehead.

 _"Alright... let's see what this thing can do."_ As if on command, the eyeball opened up. When Cloud opened his eyes... his face went a shade of red. While the stoic warrior isn't controlled by his hormones, that doesn't mean he can't get embarrassed whenever he sees women wearing nothing but underwear... like the time when he accidentally walked in on Tifa while she was changing clothes. To this day, he still felt shame... and maybe a bit of pride. It also doesn't help that Leone... was wearing even skimpier clothing underneath her tube top.

Frantically, he took off Spectator from his forehead, panting lightly.

 _"Damn... I can see why Tatsumi's face would turn red. And if Lubbock didn't have Cross Tail, he'd be using this to check out women."_

"What did you see, Cloud!?" Asked Sheele, worried for her friend's sudden reaction.

"It also rejected me." He lied. While he didn't feel the same headache Tatsumi felt, he didn't want to be branded on the same boat as Lubbock.

"Oh... well we'll send this to HQ. Someone might have some use for it." Said Najenda.

"So why do we collect the enemy's Imperial Arms?" Cloud asked the boss.

"This is our secondary job as Night Raid. As our duty is to help the revolution, we need our soldiers to find a way to help them in any way. And if we do not get the enemy's Imperial Arm, then we destroy it."

 _"That's smart, using the weapon of the enemy against them."_

"Here, this is a book that contains all of the Imperial Arms that we know." Najenda reached for a book in a nearby shelf, and gave it to Cloud, who opened the small, but thick book. Tatsumi leaned over his shoulder to get a good look of the contents of the book.

"Wow. These Imperial Arms... They're all so different." Noted Tatsumi.

"Yeah. None of these are your typical weapons of war." Said the blond warrior, inspecting each page. It ranged from a ring being able to control water or Imperial Arms that are biological, being able to regenerate, as long as their core is not destroyed.

"Which one is the strongest?" Najenda had to ponder that question for a minute.

"In my opinion... it's an Imperial Arm with the ability to control ice. As we speak, the woman who controls that Imperial Arm is dealing with the Northern Race." The blond warrior could tell that his boss had some form of history with this woman and from the grim look on her face, it was a painful encounter.

"Numa Seika is their leader. People put their faith in him greatly because of his deep care for his people. He is already gathering a powerful army to counter the government. He has yet to even be defeated. But I fear for the worst..."

 _"If she's that powerful enough to even shake Najenda, then this woman could be troublesome to deal with."_ While the enemies of this world are significantly weak compared to his own world, he cannot afford to get cocky. His arrogance got him in trouble a few times. Even after Cloud had his memories restored, there are times where his line can come off as cocky and arrogant. It also does not help that he tends to say it with a straight face.

"Don't worry. Even with someone as powerful as her on their side, it would take at the very most a month to capture them." Assured the green-clad pervert.

"I sure hope so. She was declared the Empire's Strongest... and one does not earn that title with ease." replied back the boss.

"If you do not mind me asking... do you have a certain history with this woman?" Cloud asked the boss.

"Yes. Before I defected and founded Night raid, I was once a general that sided with the Empire. But when I defected, she and I fought. I had Mine's Imperial Arm, Pumpkin but despite being able to strengthen the more I was backed into a corner, I still lost. It was that same battle with her that cost me my eye." Answered the Ex-General of the Empire.

"Is everyone from the Revolutionary Army former generals?" She shook her head.

"No. Some of them wished to fight for the sake of this country. Others did it because they were forced to. As you've seen within the Capital, this place... this world... it's wretched. It's hard to even see a kind, benevolent soul with pure intentions these days."

 _"Yeah, no kidding. Not even Shinra would approve some of the Empire's practices and that's saying something."_ As dominant and barbaric some people were in the Electric Power Company, even they would disprove such barbaric methods such as torture and public execution. Unlike the Empire, Shinra did at least try to give the people of the world a better life... But at the price of sucking on the Planet's blood like a leech.

"Since Spectator does't seem to be compatible with anyone, I'll see to it that this is delivered to HQ as soon as possible. You are all dismissed."

 **Nighttime, Cloud's room...**

The recent dream from earlier seems to trouble him. The mako eyed warrior cannot seem to even shake the feeling of that gray wolf. For some reason, its presence brought comfort, and anxiety. Its aura felt light... and dark. Hearing a knock on the door, he opened it to reveal Akame, the red eyed killer clad in her pajamas.

"Is something troubling you?" Asked the blond swordsman.

"Can I come in here for a minute?" He nodded his head, letting the ravenette inside. She sat beside him in his bed. All was silent for a few minutes until Cloud broke the silence.

"So... Why are you here?" It's not that he didn't want her to be in here, but it was rather unusual for someone as cold as Akame to even try to socialize with him.

"Oh.. right the part with Kurome. You don't have to finish it if you don't want to, you know." She shook her head.

"No... You were forced to tell your past, so it's only right that I tell mine." Cloud looked at her in worry, but did not say anything.

"You aren't planning to kill your sister... are you?" Cloud asked Akame. She looked down for a few minutes, neither one of them saying a word.

"I have to kill my sister. I... just love her too much to let her live." The mako eyed warrior narrowed his eyes.

"How is killing someone counting as loving them? You are taking the life of your flesh and blood. From the sounds of it, both you and your sister are really close to each other. Do you really want to take the life of someone that once fought with you, laughed with you and even helped you?" He asked the Murasame User.

"You at least have your sister. Can you at least try to make her turn into the same side?" Akame glared at him.

"How would you know what I've been through? You don't know what it's like to lose someone to you!" The mako eyed warrior's face remained stoic.

"I've lost EVERYTHING. I had no one in my childhood. Tifa does not count because I barely talk to her. My mom died in a fire thanks to some crazy soldier with a god complex. I saw two of my friends die right before my eyes. I even lost my own sanity and identity. Do you know what it's like? To see that everything you believed in. Everything you thought was your life to be nothing more than a fabrication of your own imagination? My life was nothing but full of turmoil, hence my namesake.

I endured countless hardships, more so than you can understand. You at least had people that cared for you while you were in the Empire. I only had Zack as my true friend before he passed away. Do you have any idea what it's like? To be called a puppet? To be nothing more than a mere tool to be used then thrown away?" He asked her, his sapphire blue eyes piercing Akame's ruby red ones.

"You were at least given free will the you were with the Empire. You could have left at an earlier time if you wanted. And at least your sister is alive and well. Do you really want to kill someone close to you because you're on opposite sides?" Asked the legacy of Zack Fair. Akame looked down for a minute, his words making her mind go into overdrive. In truth, Cloud suffered more than anyone within the Empire combined. While Akame did at least get to spend time with her comrades in the Elite Seven and be with Kurome, at least until they were separated, Cloud had no one.

While yes, he did have companionship, he chose to distance himself form them, so as to not worry them. But his life already sucked the moment he was born. From being blamed for something he didn't do, to him being failed to be a hero, to even failing to say a final goodbye to his friends, she reazlied that Cloud... he suffered so much. If Akame were to be in her shoes, she might probably even go nuts and jump off a cliff. Sure, she has seen carnage at a young age... but the human mind can only take so much before it's permanently broken.

Everyone had their limits. Some can lose their mind easier than others... yet Cloud...despite the hardships, he kept going in stride.

"That is why we're here. To bring light to the people. I know what you've been through, Akame. The Revolutionary Army's purpose if to serve the people. If we finish this war... then you can see your sister again and this time... you don' tell have to kill her. I can tell you care about her, Akame. But I sense hesitation in you. You may be a cold assassin, but sometimes even seasoned veterans have their weakest moments. People break down when the pressure is too much to handle." Cloud gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"But that's why we're here. Why all of Night Raid is here. All of us have your back... and you got ours. I swore an oath to protect those I care about. Two of my friends died right before my eyes. I don't want you doing something you'd regret." A small smile crept into his face. Akame found his smile cute and endearing, considering how stoic he looks on an everyday basis.

"Thank you... Cloud." She smiled back. The blond warrior looked outside the window.

"I'm a bit sleepy. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Akame nodded her head and left his room, the red eyed killer closing the door behind her. Her heart was pounding fast. Yet it felt... good.

 _"It seems Cloud does care about us. Thank you..."_

 **Next Day, Afternoon in the Capital City...**

"Damn it, Leone!" Cursed Tatsumi towards the buxom blonde. Cloud, Tatsumi and Leone since that the three of them were not known by the government as assassins of Night Raid.

"You still owe me money for swidling me in that restaurant, damn it!" One of the people that was chasing him yelled.

"The slums is fun, isn't it?" Leone asked her fellow blond and the greenhorn of Night Raid.

"If by fun, you mean getting chased by a bunch of people who you swindled then yes, it's fun." Remarked Cloud sarcastically, running alongside them. Just then, the trio were caught between two ways to go. Right and left.

"I'll go with Clo-"

"Tatsumi, let's go right!" Nodding his head, he followed him to the desired direction, leaving Leone to bite the dust.

"Damn you guys!" Her words fell on deaf ears as the duo kept on running, hoping they could lose their pursuers. They were focused on running that they were lost in the plaza.

"Where the hell are we!?" Cloud rolled his eyes at his partner's freaking out.

"Calm down, we can ask for directions." Said the blond.

"You two, over there!" Both boys turned around and saw a girl with long auburn hair tied to a ponytail. She donned an Imperial Polics uniform. On her left was dog... except standing on four feet like a normal canine, it was a bipedal one. It had black ears, black beady eyes and a dark patch on its abdomen. It's fur is mostly white. Cloud might've found the petite thing cute if it wasn't for one thing.

 _"Damn... this woman has an Imperial Arm..."_

"Are you both lost?" Asked the woman. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to play along, they both nodded their heads.

"Yeah. We ended up running and we got lost." Said Tatsumi.

"But we know where we're going." The woman smiled brightly.

"Perfect! I'm on patrol now and I can help you!" The auburn haired woman grabbed Cloud's hand and happily dragged him away, with Tatsumi following behind him. Normally, physical contact from a girl would make him somewhat embarrassed, as he has little experience with women and Tifa does not count, as they barely talk to each other at this point. Not since Cloud separated himself from his friends.

"Say, does all of you from the Imperial Police have an Imperial Arm?" She shook her head.

"Oh, no. Koro chose me because I was compatible with him. None of the higher ups were a complete match for him. Yet, when I came in close proximity, he moved. It was as if he was responding my call to justice!" She pumped her fist in excitement. Cloud couldn't help but be amused, but yet... he felt that same cold aura Aria was emanating... except this time... that dark aura was colder... he couldn't shake off the feeling that so,etching was off about this girl... and from the dark aura she was letting out... she might be even more of a bigger deal than that blond bitch who tried to poison Tatsumi's friends.

Minutes of walking later, the two village boys and the Imperial Policewoman reached the slums.

"Well, this is the area." Both bowed out of respect, needing to play along.

"Thank you." Replied Tatsumi. She smiled.

"It's no problem at all. Helping people is the path of justice!" The blond warrior could not help but face palm mentally at her stupidity.

 _"If joining the Imperial Police counts, then I guess..."_

"Come on, Koro! I bet you're hungry!" The bipedal canine "Kyu'd" in response, happily following its owner/partner. Both boys looked at each other.

"We gotta tell the boss about this." Tatsumi nodded his head in agreement.

"I can't help but shake a bad feeling about that girl..." The brown haired boy raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Apart from the fact that she has an Imperial Arm... the killer intent she was leaking out... it was colder and much darker than Aria's..." the bigger the hate, the more powerful the enemy was. Cloud doesn't know how he got the ability to even sense negative emotions, but ever since he arrived in the Empire, whenever someone who leaks enough killing intent comes, alarm bells ring off his head.

"You can detect negative emotions?" The village boy nodded his head.

"Strangely, that was how I knew that Aria was wasn't until she appeared. I couldn't just tell you outright that she was evil... at least not without evidence to back it up. Good thing the mom kept a diary of all the people she tortured, otherwise you would have been next." His green eye twitched at the bad memory, but said nothing.

"Come on. We need to get back to the hideout. I have a bad feeling about that girl..."

 **One day later... Night Raid Hideout.**

Cloud began to train Tatsumi under his wing in an attempt to strengthen him. Despite being in different worlds, he realized that he and Tatsumi are more or less kinda of the same. Both were born in a village and wanted to join the military, albeit for different reasons. Cloud, doing it to impress Tifa and Tatsumi to save his village from starvation and suffering. Both did not make it in, but in Cloud's case, he was demoted into mere cannon fodder. Unlike Tatsumi, who had Sayo and Ieyasu, Cloud had no one but his mother in his childhood. People ignored the spiky blond, some of them even making fun of him.

It only worsened when the villagers put the blame on Cloud for putting Tifa in a coma, even though it wasn't the swordsman's fault, nor was it his idea to even go into Mt. Nibel. Basically, his role in Nibelhiem was the butt monkey, and the dog that needed to be kicked. Tifa's father likes to take it too far. Apart from the time when whenever he visited their household, they made him eat off the ground without a plate, the father was also brutal enough to make sure Cloud were to stay away from Tifa is possible, just in case he might put her in a coma once more.

The more Tatsumi heard, the more pissed he got. Sure, he knows his life wasn't exactly easy, but it was hard to hear that his tour goes began since he was born.

In an afternoon, both village boys were sweating heavily because of the hot sun beating down in them. Though it was a worse case for Cloud, as his clothes are mostly comprised of black, save for the earrings and the wolf emblem embedded on his left chest.

Tatsumi barely blocked an attack by the blond swordsman. Due to his experience fighting all kinds of enemies, exceeding Tatsumi wasn't even that hard. Even by holding back, the greenhorn could barely dent him.

After a few hours of grueling training, Tatsumi was panting heavily. He felt his lungs were drenched in flames. Cloud was not ax exhausted, but lots of sweat was evident on his face.

"Damn... you win again." Groaned his bellow village boy. Cloud grabbed him by the hand and helped him up.

"I've fought for years on end, Tatsumi. There are enemies dangerous out in my world than mere Danger Beasts."

 _"Like Ultima Weapon and even Bahamut SIN."_

"Do you think... we're doing the right thing here?" Cloud looked at Tatsumi.

"I mean... I know that this world is full of so much hatred... yet even though we're doing this for the sake of the people... it's still kinda hard to take a life. Sure, I've killed one of Aria's parents and even the woman herself, but I acted on my instinct and anger..."

"I don't like what we're doing either, Tatsumi. To be frank, I don't think anyone in this world likes to take a life. We're doing this because we have to, not because we want to. We don't take the lives of anyone unless they are a threat or they're people who thinks they're all high and mighty letting them do what they want. In this world, the word "morals" is twisted."

"Have you killed before?" Cloud nodded his head.

"Yeah. Mostly out of self-defense. And I technically have to kill Sephiroth... twice to save my own world. Believe me, a human life is something once cannot take back. Regret is an emotion that makes us human. You still take a life even if you don't want to and still you regret it. That's your humanity talking to you. It means you're still human." Replied the blond warrior.

"Do you see yourself as human?" Cloud looked at his hands and at himself.

"To be honest... not really. I've been injected with a substance that made me get poisoned, along with the cells of the person who destroyed my village and witnessed the deaths of many. Some even see me as a monster because of how ridiculous my fighting abilites can be. Which makes sense considering I do have the cells of a madman." He then looked at Tatsumi's emerald eyes.

"Never stop being human. Emotions are the reason why we are what we are. Protect those you care about. I failed to protect those close to me. I'd don't want the same thing to happen to you again." His fellow village boy smiled at that.

"You got it." Nodding his head, he prepared the main blade of his weapon.

"Ready to continue?" His received response was a battle cry and a clash of metal.

 **Hours Later, Nighttime...**

The blond swordsman and the curvaceous brawler were on a rooftop. Their objective was dealing with a drug lord that lures women within the area via money. Cloud couldn't help but notice how revealing some of their outfits were. But he kept his face in its stoic visage, making Leone pout.

"I expected your face to go red." She admitted.

The swordsman scoffed. "Not the first time I've seen something like this. Come on, we have work to do."

"Fine. Lionel, activate!" Punching her fists together, her hair got longer and gained animalistic claws and ears.

"Changing into beast mode gets me excited!" He rolled his eyes.

"You wanna say that louder?" The blond warrior then found himself between two soft pillows, AKA, the jugs of Leone.

"What are you doing?!" He asked her, she giggled.

"Can't have you behind, can we spiky?" She then carried him all the way to the target location. While most people, especially Lubbock would be happy to be in position, the only thing Cloud was worried about was him losing his oxygen.

"Never do that again." He glared at her. Leone stuck out her tongue at him, then winking playfully. The duo then looked below, where a purple has was leaking out from a device. The smell was so pungent that Cloud was forced to cover his nose to prevent him from breathing it in.

"Alright, girls. Keep on earning money and you'll get what you came for, okay?"

"Okay!" Were their response. One of the girls was on the ground, splashed out and laughing maniacally.

 _"Damn... the drugs must've broken her mind."_ The blond warrior then saw one of the men get close to the girl and punch her, making him grit his teeth in anger.

 _"Seriously, I knew this place is messed up... but I didn't think they'd stoop so low..."_ he thought.

"Please...need...more.." begged the girl on the ground. She tried reaching out, only for a man in a white suit to punch her face, effectively killing her. Anger rose through the swordsman's being, clenching his fists.

"That girl he killed..." Cloud looked over to her fellow blond, whose eyes were shadowed by her bangs.

"She was a childhood friend of mine from the slums..." it was unusual for the cheerful blonde to look so despondent, but it was obvious Leone and the girl had a pretty good history, because of how she reacted.

"Let's take these bastards out!" Cloud nodded his head, unsheating the main blade.

"Man, these girls are a dime a dozen. Just show them some cash you way, and these bitches'll come running." Said one of the goons, effectively violating one of the girls by groping her. Due to the drugs in her body, her brain wasn't functioning properly, unaware of the man even touching her.

"Don't you think we should expand out territory a bit, boss?" said the one in the white suit.

"Yeah. Let's pay Tybil a visit and talk about it." Said the drug lord, chuckling at the prospect of more money and more women to potentially grope.

Cloud and Leone then proceeded to crash into the room, their eyes full of anger and rage.

"The only place you're going..." Leone started.

"Is hell." Both fighters charged.

"Get them!" A few thugs went Cloud's way, but they fell with ease thanks to his skill. They fought like berserkers with no strategy and their aim was just as bad. Throwing his sword like a boomerang, he effectively took out some of them.

Leone cracked their skulls, snapped their necks and basically beat any enemy down that was coming her way. She dodged their gunfire and met the enemy with her fists.

Pretty soon, no one was left except for the man in the white suit and the drug lord himself.

"I DON't DESERVE TO DIE!" Taking out his pistol, he tried shooting both of them, but to no avail. His fear of death hindered his ability to even aim. Closing in, Cloud stabbed the blade through his chest.

"If you didn't wanna die, then you shouldn't lure women for money." Leone grabbed the dug lord by the scruff of his collar.

"What the hell do you want? I got drugs! Money! Anything just let me go!" Nothing was left for him to say as Leone punched him in, creating a hole on his gut, effectively taking his life.

"We're nothing but a couple of bitches. And taking out people like you is our specialty."

"You should've called us something else." Remarked the blond swordsman. Leone followed him, her arms behind her head.

"Eh, I was out of one-liners." was her only reply.

The duo then walked out of the area, meeting at the target point, which was a nearby park. He still remembered that despite the place being filled with corruption and hatred, there are still some areas that shone with beauty in the capital.

"So what's going to happen to the women?" Asked Cloud.

"They aren't our problem." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I thought we were doing this for the sake of the people, not for money." If he was in his SOLDIER persona, he probably would've agreed and even flirted with the buxom blonde. For some reason, whether in his fake persona or his actual one, women just cling to him... they just do.

"There's a retired doc at the slums. I'll give the guy a call. He gets to treat people and see a pretty face, so it's a win-win."

"Didn't think you'd look out for others." Said the blond warrior with a smile. Leone couldn't help but blush at how good-looking he looks.

"You know, Cloud, seeing you smile like that... It gets me every time." She then licked his ear, making shivers go down his spine.

"What was that for?!" She merely chuckled.

"That was me marking me territory. After this war, you're mine." The warrior tried to get away, only to be caught between her jugs once more.

"Oh, no. You still owe me for what you did a few days ago." Regret immediately filled his head.

 _"Great... I knew I shouldn't have done that."_ He thought, thinking of a way to escape the predicament he was in. Suddenly, his instincts went off. He then felt the same cold, familiar aura hours ago when him and Tatsumi met that...

 _"Damn! Sheele and Mine! It's that Imperial Police Woman... she's got to them... I need to go, now!"_ Freeing himself from her grasp, he bounded towards the area where his instincts told him to.

"Where are you going!?" Leone's words fell on deaf ears as Cloud kept going, ignoring her,

 _"I just hope I'm not too late..."_ Thought the blond swordsman, dread filling his body, forcing him to speed up. Seeing a black hood that covered his clothes and his face, he picked it up and donned it. The shadows of the night helped cover his eyes, preventing anyone from seeing his face. Fortunately, he wasn't wearing his usual outfit, as it was being laundered by Akame as of this moment.

 _"That woman... she's got an organic... this might be tough for them."_ Suddenly, he heads a loud whistle from the distance.

 _"Damn! She called for back up... Hold on, Sheele and Mine... I won't let you die!"_ He yelled in his head, forcing himself to go faster. With the speed that can blitz even the fastest assassins, he bounded from roof to roof, trying to find the location. After a few minutes, he was able to find them... until Cloud saw Sheele get shot, a bullet wound on her chest.

"JUSTICE IS SERVED!" Cloud looked over and saw the face of Seryu. It wasn't the one he saw earlier. This face was filled with bloodlust.

 _"No more deaths... I won't let anyone die!"_ Assembling the Fusion Sword to its fullest length, the threw the whole broadsword at Koro. Despite its cumbersome weight, it was able to fly towards the Imperial Arm and effectively cut Koro in half. Seryu, seeing its partner cut in half looked at the source of the sword.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY WOULD YOU INTERRUPT THE EXECUTION OF JUSTICE!?" She yelled towards Cloud. Jumping down, his eyes were shadowed by the hood. The wind was belong strongly, but it wasn't strong enough to reveal the blond's visage.

"Me? I'm a nobody." Were his only words. Mine, recognizing him by his voice looked at him in thanks but said nothing, knowing the hood was used to cover his face.

"Here." He tossed an elixir at Mine, who caught it with ease.

"Take Sheele and make her drink this. It should be able to cure her of her wounds."

"What about you?" Asked the twintailed sniper.

"I'll hold off that woman."

"What!? But you'll die!" His face hardened and looked at her.

"It's better me than your partner. She's been with you your whole life. I've only been here for a little bit over a month." Mine looked at the blond's mako sapphire eyes. It seems that he isn't backing down from his decision.

"Fine." Reluctantly, she picked up her partner, along with the curative and walked away, but not before looking at Cloud.

"You'll come back to us... right?" All was silent for a few moments before Cloud nodded his head. Taking her partner and slinging Pumpkin over her shoulder, she grabbed her partner and carried her. With her gone, Cloud can now focus on the main threat.

"You... you won't get away with this." He picked up the Fusion Sword, which was planted on the ground and twirled it with ease.

Koro, now regenerated immediately charged at him, its mouth ready to bite his head off. The swordsman dodged to the right and effectively bifurcated the organic, its pieces falling behind him. His steely gaze was directed at Seryu. Slamming down his sword, he created a blue crescent wave of energy that launched Seryu inside a den of trees. Koro tried to get him from behind, only for the mako warrior to kick him towards its partner.

"CLOUD!" Craning his neck, he saw Leone, slightly exhausted.

"You need to go."

"Why?" Just then, a mass concentration of Imperial Soldiers popped up. They were all zoning in on their location.

"I can't just leave you here!"

"I'll keep them busy. Please... leave now..." he begged/demanded of her.

"But-"

"GO! I already lost someone close to me twice! I won't let the same happen to you!" He interrupted, looking at her with a glare.

Seeing his resolve, Leone nodded her head with tears in her eyes. She went up on the rooftop, where Mine was carrying Sheele. Both girls looked at him in worry. In response, Cloud merely nodded his head. Hesitantly, both women were out of sight, with Leone now carrying the ditzy assassin.

"So... you're the only one left." Said one of the Imperial Soldiers, aiming a gun at him.

"What'cha gonna do? Protect your little friends?" Taunted another one. Fusion Sword in hand, he held it in front of him.

 _"So... this is it... this is how I die, huh? It's only a rightful thing to do. Zack sacrificed his life for me. So did Aerith. I won't let them down. I'm tired of people taking the hit for me. Now... it's my turn."_

 _"Embrace your dreams. Protect your honor as SOLDIER."_ Zack's words rang through his head.

" _You'll be... my living legacy..."_

Despite not being SOLDIER, he underwent through the same experience to get introduced into one. Opening his eyes, he saw the mass on Imperial Soldiers in front of him, their guns locked and loaded. Despite being outnumbered, Cloud did not back down. Running away would not only stain Zack's honor... but he would also put his friends at risk.

"Come and get it!" He yelled, charging towards the soldiers. The fight has begun.

One tried to shoot him, but he ducked under and stabbed him with his weapon. Spinning, he took out another group of them. A soldier tried to punch him, but he received a foot to the face and gut, the impact knocking him back. Separating one of his swords, he threw it like a boomerang, taking out a few of them. Jumping up and retrieving and fusing it back together, he slammed down the blade upon the very earth, knocking many back. One was able to shoot him, but thanks to enhanced durability, he shrugged it off.

 _"All of you... every one of you... survive this for me. I may die here and now... but I don't care. No more deaths will happen. I won't let anyone else die... not here... NOT NOW!"_

"Stars... RAIN DOWN!" Slamming the blade, six meteors fell upon the Earth, scorching the area with molten rock and flame. Those who were caught immidiately died from the attack. Holding out his blade in front of him, he spun, leaving behind a tornado in his wake, effectively taking out a few of them.

 _"Damn... just who is this guy!? He's outnumbered ten to one and he's fighting everyone!"_ Thought Seryu in fear. This man... she was out of his league. From the way he fights... it's obvious he isn't a rookie in fighting. While his fighting style is somewhat akin to a berserker's, he more than makes up for it it not only strength but also speed. He has the strength to swing his sword like it was made of wood despite how big it looks. Seryu also noticed a few bullets actually hitting the mysterious warrior, but he didn't look like he was visibly affected by the pain. It was like he tanked them and acted like nothing even happened.

Exhaustion was already getting through to him. The only thing keeping him going was the thought of seeing his friends safe and sound.

Spinning in a whirlwind fashion, he eliminated many enemies that surrounded the swordsman. He shoved the whole sword into a group of enemies, effectively taking them out. Headbutting another, swung in a wide arc, taking out many.

"We need reinforcements!" Yelled one of the men, only to be cut down by Cloud's weapon.

"How is he capable to taking all of us on!?" Asked one of them. Suddenly, a slew of people arrived.

"Ready... aim... FIRE!" The men armed their guns and shot a volley of bullets at the swordsman. Each one caused him to stagger, but otherwise he kept on going.

"FIRE!" Another volley went through, causing the warrior to stagger from the hail of bullets.

"FIRE!" This time, even more bullets came through gravely injuring him. It seemed that the third volley did him in, causing him to pant heavily.

 _"My body... I can't move..."_ thought the blond warrior, trying his best to stand up, only to fail. He used his sword as a crutch, but despite that, he could barely move. Bullet holes were everywhere in his body. Slash marks and lacerations were also present.

"See you later, prick." Another shot rang out. This time, Cloud fell on the ground... unable to move. He felt his consciousness leave his body... he tried to open his eyes... to see his friends once more... but he lost the willpower to go on... and he fell into unconsciousness.

 **Within the confines of his mind...**

Cloud, found himself in the same pitch black abyss as last time. Nothing could be seen, not even his own shadow.

 _"Why... why am I here again?"_ Thought the blond swordsman, looking around.

 **"How pathetic. You defeated the one called Sephiroth, but you still fell by a hail of bullets."** A deep voice rang out onto his consciousness. Craning his neck, he saw the same gray wolf from his dream, the same one with the glowing mako eyes.

"Who... are you?" The wolf merely chuckled.

 **"I was born from your suffering. You weren't aware yet, but the death of your friend Zack Fair planted the seeds for my consciousness to rise. As your adventures go on, I watched you. At times, you faltered your resolve, but eventually you gained back the will to fight. I wasn't fully manifested yet until you arrived into this world."** The blond could barely process what this wolf was saying.

"Wait... so you were in my mind since childhood?"

 **"My being was still in its infancy stage when you witnessed the death of your friend Zack. Whenever you felt extreme times of rage, you tapped into my power. You feel it, don't you Cloud?"**

"So that was you huh..." now that he thought about it there are times where whenever he gets really pissed off, he felt a small but huge enough spark of power within his body.

 **"I also carry the same name of your personal bicycle and the emblem on your chest. You use my image as a means to separate yourself from others."**

"Wait... you're Fenrir?" The wolf chuckled.

 **"About time you figured it out."**

"So why are you here?" Asked the blond swordsman.

 **"You defeated one of the most powerful opponents in history... yet you still fell by a hail of bullets. Are you really the Cloud Strife I know?"**

"But I..." the wolf seemingly rolled its eyes.

 **"But nothing! This is what you always do! When shit hits the fan, you always break down. In tough times like these, get your ass up and move on! I know it isn't easy, but there are times when the enemy isn't going to wait for you to get into fighting spirit to even fight. Right now... you are on the verge of death. That women there is about to turn your corpse into dinner for that pesky excuse of a dog. Now, what will you do? Sit here while you get slaughtered? Or go down like a warrior, fighting till the bitter end?"**

Fenrir's words touched his soul for a mere minute. Despite not knowing him, it had a point. He always breaks down whenever shit get too rough. Bit as insensitive as he sounds, Fenrir had a valid point. The enemy isn't exactly going to wait until you are ready to fight to strike back. In all his years, he was so caught up in his brooding that he was oblivious to the consequences. Now... he isn't even able to see his friends again... the ones in Gaia...

 **"Here's the thing. I know that you aren't fond of Sephiroth, but there is one thing that stands: you have his cells within your body. You are capable of using his powers. His skills and abilities. Knowing your hatred for him, I don't expect you to even want to use his skills. You carry the Jenova cells. The same cells that brought the Cetra into extinction.**

"But I have the cells of the same person... who burned down my village..." The wolf growled in annoyance.

 **"Tch. I get it. You don't wanna access his powers because of what he did to Nibelhiem. It's not about the cells itself, but how you use them. Just because you carry the cells of a madman, does not mean you will become one yourself. But there are bigger things at stake than your own past. What would you do to save your friends? I can tell you harbor great care for them. All of them. Do you want them all to die? Like Zack and Aerith?"**

"No... I don't..." he admitted.

 **"There you go. Now let me ask you again: Will you sit by and do nothing, dying like a sheep waiting to be slaughtered? Or will you go down as a grave warrior who goes up to great lengths to protect his friends? You may not be able to eliminate the cells in your body, but you can use them for good. You are free from Sephiroth's control. He no longer controls you. It's up to you to control this power and no one else."**

His words rang true. The first time he battle Sephiroth, he fought for the dominance of his mind in which Cloud won. While he was haunted by visions with the Geostigma, he was not controlled or manipulated unlike Denzel and the other kids.

"You're right. I do chicken out when things do not go my way. That's what I always do. I... just can't handle the stress anymore. I may hate Sephiroth... especially since what he did to my mother... and Aerith... but one things does stand. I am not like him. I will protect those close to me and anyone else I care about. It's true that Hojo injected me with the S-Cells and I certainly hate using these... new powers... but if it's for the sake of those I care for... and to defeat the Empire once and for all... it's time I risk it. I risk it all for those I care about."

 **"Then show me your resolve in combat!!!!"** Suddenly, a black aura engulfed Cloud. It exhilarated him. The mako eyed warrior felt like he was injected with pure, concentrated caffeine.

 **Outside...**

"Ummm. Miss Ubiquitous..l think he's dead." Said one Imperial Soldier, poking him with his foot.

"No... he is still alive. But nor for long. KORO! SUPPER TIME!" Just then, the organic Imperial Arm bounded for the body, hoping to get a good taste of human flesh... only for a hand to grab him in midair and throw him lik a ragdoll.

Struggling slightly, Cloud stood up. Checking his hands, he noticed they have been healed on their injuries.

"WHAT THE!? HOW ARE YOU EVEN ALIVE?!" Asked Seryu. Instead of answering, Cloud turned his gaze upon the woman, making the auburn haired girl flinch in fear.

"You really think your precious Captain Ogre is a good person? Tell that to the fiancé of one of the victims." The silouette of a gray wolf appeared, causing the soldiers to back up in fear. They saw another silouette. A tall man with silver hair wielding a katana and emerald green eyes.

Cracks appeared on the ground. His eyes are now heterochromia, with his left eye being green with slits. A pair of wings appeared on his back. The right wing was white as snow. It represented the blond's desire to protect his friends... the one who stood by him thick and thin. The left wing was foil to the right, being the color black. It was as dark as the midnight sky, representing his connection to Sephiroth and his desire to destroy any opposition that dares touch him.

"Tell me something, Seryu. How does it feel... to know fear?" Flapping his wings, he jumped, hovering above the night sky and divebomed towards the group of enemies.

 **So... did anyone expect that?**


	7. Light and Dark

**I'm just gonna say it. There isn't an excuse for me not writing a couple of months. For those of you that were waiting, I'm really sorry. Thank you for your support and all the love you gave in this story. Reviews are appreciated, but if you wish to give out insults or any comments that really doesn't help me in any way, then don't bother being here.**

 **Saru: I was trying to give out the idea that he was fighting hundreds of Imperial Troops. I'm not saying Cloud is weak, he isn't. Oh, and since you're basically here whenever I update, you really should make an account, man. You can even write a story of your own, if you like. I'm sorry if you think I weakened him but I didn't. Let's just say that at some point in the story, he'll be a one-man army. I'm using the manga variation of Esdeath.**

 **Oh, and mistersalmon, you don't have to PM me every time I update. Just put it in the reviews, dude.**

 ** _(Cue One Winged Angel-Advent Children)_**

Cloud was in the air, his newly formed black and white wings keeping him afloat. His heterochromia eyes looked down on each and every one of the soldiers that worked for the Empire. Each of them caused nothing but strife. Each of them caused nothing but suffering. He's seen a few of these so called Imperial Police members Kill for money, rape women and even steal from children. While Cloud is no saint himself, he would never, EVER kill for no reason, rape a woman in any circumstance and steal, even if his life depended on it. These guys deserve the punishment of death. And he'll deliver it to them personally. Hundreds of Imperial Soliders were on the ground, their faces wracked with fear.

"T **i** me f **or** y **ou** a **l** l to **k** no **w ho** w to fee **l powe** rl **ess."** Divebombing towards the enemy, he slammed down, creating a huge crater on the ground. Many were knocked back from the impact and power.

"Ready, FIRE!" Cannons were shot out, but Cloud disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a few black and white feathers. Koro opened its mouth to try to kill this human and potentially get a tasty meal, only for a huge broadsword to be shoved into its body and brutally bifurcated. It would regenerate since he did not hit the core, but it bought him some breathing room. Slamming the blade down, instead of a blue crescent wave, it was a gray wolf in its place. It bounded towards an Imperial Soldier, who was immidiately torn apart. It briefly exploded after.

He threw the whole Fusion Sword like a boomerang, mercilessly cutting down every enemy unlucky enough to be in its way. Tapping to the S-Cells in his body, it enhanced his attacks to ridiculous levels. Moving so fast that they didn't even see him there, Cloud mercilessly cut down a whole swath of Imperial Troops, their body parts flying all over the place. His heterochromia green and blue eyes were scanning the surroundings, his face stolid.

"T **e** l **l** m **e** w **h** a **t** y **o** u che **rish m** o **st. Gi** ve **m** e the **plea** sure o **f** ta **k** ing **it** a **wa** y." Said Cloud, his voice resonating with Sephiroth's. Spinning quickly, he formed a tornado that carried away the majority of the troops, some of them even getting cut from the wind force that it was generating.

"Stars... RAIN DOWN!" Slamming his blade on the ground, meteors fell from the night sky. Unlike the regular meteors, these one were slightly bigger and the flames behind were black instead of orange. They crashed into the ground, burning many alive and destroying the cannons. Thrusting out his hand, green energy began to pool into where his hand was pointed at, coalescing into a single point. With a hand wave, a huge green explosion shook the plaza, wiping many out. Koro, who regenerated tried to attack him once more, only to get cut in half, but not before picking up both pieces and throwing them into separate directions.

 **"You claim to be Justice. You claim that you save lives and do things for the innocent. Take a good look at yourself, Seryu Ubiqutous."** Said Cloud, his voice becoming smooth and cold...like Sephiroth's.

 _ **"Your pathetic master did nothing but put the blame on innocent people, taking loved ones away from them. He did nothing but cause pain. The job of the Imperial Police is too restore order, yet Captain Ogre stirred chaos and caused harm to many."**_ Cloud's words shocked Seryu to the core.

"No! He was a good man! He trained me and made me what I am today!" She got a sneer from him as a result.

 _ **"Then you are a naive fool. Why don't you tell that to the people that were killed by his doing? By those who were affected? By those whose blood was shed for absolutely no reason at all?"** _ Cloud's voice was becoming steely, laced with iciness and bitterness. It also became close to Sephiroth's, inheriting his cool and professional tone. Disappearing into the blink of an eye, he picked up Koro, who was still in its muscular mode and slammed him repeatedly into the ground, each one making a crater on the ground. Normally, Cloud would be against animal cruelty, but he knows this isn't a regular animal. It was a weapon capable of killing like a sword. The remaining Imperial Soldiers were looking at him in fear.

An icy chill covered the area, making it seem cold. Huge amounts of killing intent was leaking from the swordsman.

 _" **All of you are fools. You all do nothing but kill, steal and rape for your own twisted and perverted pleasure. All of you are the reasons why this twisted world has fallen so low. Anyone who is in a position of power is more likely to abuse it rather than use it for the good of the people. Talk to those rich bastards who got off selling children or women. Imperial Police my ass, your precious Captain Ogre put the blame on others and showed no remorse. I admit, I'm no saint and I've done things I regret, but you harm innocents for your own pleasure. You need to die."**_ Cloud's voice became colder and even more smooth, his voice resonating with the silver haired general. His heterochromia eyes seemed to be glowing more than before. His black and white wings flapped periodically. They don't know his face, as it was covered by a black hood but from his face, he means business. He was also conjuring the image of the same silver haired man with a long black coat and a nōdachi in his left hand. The silouette' piercing green eyes drove fear into the hundreds of Imperial Troops that tried to kill him.

"You... You're a monster!" Cried one one Imperial Soldier. A mere chuckle was only Cloud's reply.

 _" **Oh, and you aren't? At least I don't kill just because I want to. At least I don't rape women. I know I'm a monster. I have darkness within me. But I'll be damned to stoop down to your level. You and your fool of a Minister will die along with the others that brought pain in this world. I intend to make sure of it."** _ Charging forward, he cut down many troops with one sword swing. The black aura he was leaking caused winds to blow strongly throughout the area.

 _" **What's wrong? I've seen some of you rape women and kill people for no utter reason with a glee on your twisted faces. What happened to that confidence now?"**_ Taunted the swordsman. With the blink of an eye, he instantly appeared on the other side of the battle, the Imperial Soldiers behind him were looking in fear.

"Vanish." Just then, cuts appeared on the enemy, some getting dismembered of decapitated.

More Imperial Soldiers started pouring forth into the plaza. His heterochromia eyes scanned the surroundings, unfazed by their numbers. He swung the Fusion Sword once, creating a beam of light that effortlessly cleaved any soldier cut in its way in half. His black and white wings flapped periodically. A dark aura was leaking out of Cloud. His sapphire and emerald eyes were laced with cold fury,which was hid under a stoic gaze.

After the attack, almost nothing was left. Bodies were on the ground. Cannons were destroyed. Black fire was spreading everywhere. Seryu has never felt so much fear in his life.

 _"That man... he's a monster..."_ Thought the Imperial Police member, which was hypocritical considering how crazy she looks whenever she deals out "justice." Cloud looked at her, his eyes piercing with anger. His sapphire blue and emerald green eyes were staring right into her very soul. Fortunately, she couldn't see anything except for his eyes, which were glowing faintly under the hood. Flapping his wings, he took flight, leaving black and white feathers behind.

 ** _(End One Winged Angel-Advent Children.)_**

 **Hours later...**

Cloud groaned, trying his best to get up. His body felt like it was on fire and stiff. The side effect of using Fenrir's power must've taken a slight toll on his body, as he wasn't accustomed to it yet. And Sephiroth's power... who knew he had so much within him? A small part of him felt exhilarated about mastering this new power... yet a small part of him rejected it because he's afraid it might drive him insane. Not to mention, these were the cells of the very same killer of his village. But Fenrir did have a point. Sephiroth is no longer in command on his mind, only he is. And he isn't Sephiroth. He has no desire to be a god or destroy the world. He only wishes to protect those close to him, even if they view him as a monster.

Due to the incredible power of the S-Cells, it increased his already powerful fighting abilites into ridiculous heights. He feels like he needed to end this war as fast and as easy as possible. So that no more will the people of the Empire fall prey to its twisted corruption. He's seen poor people, women raped, many tortured, and more. With this new power, this war could get short. But he must not let it get over his head, as overconfidence can be his downfall.

"Oh, you're awake? Good, the food's ready." Groaning, he noticed that he was outside, but was in a makeshift bed. The headache he once had started to disappear slowly, clearing his head.

"Who...are you?" Asked Cloud.

"I'm just a wandering traveler. You look like you've been out of it for quite a while." The swordmsan tried to stand up, only for his legs to fail him, dropping on the ground exhausted.

"Take it easy. I've been watching you since five days ago." His eyes widened. Five days!? Using Sephiroth's power must've exhausted him more than he thought. It was understandable, considering this power is new to him and isn't used to his power. Looking around, he saw that he was in a camp site, with a saddle and a well made tent on the area. It seems they were in an area filled with trees, but this place is a clearing.

"Here, you must be starving." As if to answer, his stomach growled at the sight of food. Oddly enough, Cloud can tell that his intentions are pure, as the man could've left him for dead instead of taking him and patching him up. Taking the bread, he hungrily ate it, making the man chuckle at how hungry he is.

"Well, someone was hungry." He said towards the blond warrior. Cloud let out a grunt, but said nothing.

"Oh, I know who you are. I saw what you did back at the Imperial Square." Said the man with a smile.

"Wait...you saw me..." he nodded his head.

"Yeah. I can tell you held a lot of contempt for those Imperial Troops. Can't say I disagree with your sentiment. Considering the crap they put the civilizations they out through. The torture, the rape... it's sickening to the core."

 _"Hmm. At least there's another person that notices how messed up the Empire is. All the more reason for me to even save it. With this new power...I'll make sure of it."_ Shadows crept out of his left hand. It slowly formed into a miniature figure of the One Winged Angel himself.

"Tell me...why did you save me?" Asked Cloud. The man merely smiled.

"When I saw you fighting hundreds of those bastards, I knew you had some hatred against them. Plus, you don't seem to be a bad person. Like my father once says, "we don't know when we are gonna die, so help those around you. Do what a normal human being would do to feel satisfied at the end of your life."" Cloud smiled a little.

"He must be a kind person." He replied back.

"Back to the matter at hand." His face turned into a frown. Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"I need your help."

 **Night Raid Base, Dawn...**

Tatsumi was hungry, unable to fall asleep. He heard about the news of Cloud's supposed death. Needless to say, he took it pretty hard. Despite their differences in personality, both of them seemed to get along pretty well, as they were born in villages and had pretty hard life, except Cloud was forced to weather through it with no one except his own mother, who died inside a fire. After getting a glass of water and some bread, he saw Akame, holding Cloud's black sleeveless turtleneck along with the sleeve.

"Why are you holding Cloud's clothes?" Akame blushed a little, but fortunately for her, Tatsumi wasn't able to see it.

"I had nothing else as a blanket, so I decided to use his outfit to wear." She said calmly.

"It's surprising really." Akame raised an eyebrow.

"Cloud...he's only been here a couple of weeks, maybe months, but he already proved himself to be a valuable member of this team. Not only did he gave away lots of money that he could've kept for himself to me, he also willingly trained me along with Bulat. He's really something huh?" Tatsumi asked the red eyed killer.

"Yeah...he also took a few bullets for me and faced an entire platoon of Imperial Troops." Replied back the Night Raider.

"Wow, Akame... you actually acted composed even though he disappeared. It's like you're used to it..." Akame's face then started to slowly lose his composure.

"Used to it...?" Akame then suddenly broke down into tears.

"You really think I don't feel pain when I see one die!? I'm used to my comrades dying...Cloud... he saved one of my friends' lives and we never got the chance to thank him! Now I can't thank him for what he's done to us! To me! I couldn't show my feelings because they would affect my next mission!"

Tatsumi suddenly felt like a dumbass for saying that. Of course one would be sad by the deaths of others. If it wasn't for him, his childhood friends would be considered dead at this point, another thing to thank him for. To Akame's surprise, Tatsumi punched himself.

"What was that for!?" She asked of him.

"I'm sorry. I was a fool to think someone would be okay with the idea of losing someone. Hell, if it wasn't for him, Sayo and Ieyasu would be dead. We can't give up on finding him. He's a tough bastard, and has been through worse than this. He will survive and come back to us." Akame wiped some tears out of her face, a small smile coming on to her face.

"You're right." She said. Elation and hope went through her. Despite knowing him somewhat briefly, Cloud and Akame were able to get along well because their personalities were more or less the same. Both endured hard pasts, but Cloud got even worse punishment than her.

"I gotta sleep. Good night, Akame." She nodded her head, with Tatsumi making a beeline for his room.

 _"I don't know what you did to make Akame miss you like that, Cloud...but you gotta come back. Night Raid needs you more than ever."_

 **Unknown Location...**

"You want me to what?" Cloud asked the man.

"It's the Three Beasts, Esdeath's personal bodyguards. They're about to attack the former Prime Minister of this Capital, Chouri."

"You said he was your master, right?" He nodded his head.

"Yes. Until that bastard Honest took his place." At hearing his name, the blond swordsman's face darkened, his hands clenched to a fist. While he would never want to kill, the more he heard bad things about Honest, the more he wants to personally kick his ass.

"I'm glad someone shares the same sentiment as me." Said the man, chuckling.

"What happened to your father?" The man's face turned sad.

"He was supposed to be the messenger of Honest, but he refused aware of his corrupted nature so he publicly executed him to show what happens if you defy him." Cloud's face scrunched up in anger. Torturing this bastard sounds extremely temtpting right about now.

"I'm...sorry to hear that." The man smiled.

"It's alright. I need you to please rescue my master. Those bodyguards of Esdeath are gonna come after him and kill him. I was hoping to send a message to Night Raid, but after seeing you in action I came to you instead. Please save him from this twisted place." Without hesitation, Cloud nodded his head. He knows how messed up this world is. He needed to save those who are against Honest and from the way he described his master, he is someone to be admired and respected.

"You can count on me." The man smiled.

"Thank you so much!" The man bowed in respect.

"Easy, I don't need you to bow to me." Said the mako warrior.

"By the way, I go by Mark." He introduced, holding out a hand.

"Cloud." He shook his hand in courtesy.

 **A few hours later...**

The duo ended up in the village led by the one now named Mark.

"Take a look at this, Cloud. This is the result of what happens when Prime Minister Honest rules over this place." The blond warrior looked around the area. None of it was filled with mirth. There were people huddled together for warmth.

"He keeps everything for himself and leave none for the poor. He cares about no one else but himself." Cloud shook his head in pity.

 _"Just seeing this...that bastard deserves to get what's coming to him."_ Thought the mako eyed warrior, clenching his fists in anger. Killing is something he would never enjoy. It doesn't sit well with him...yet when it comes to this bastard...he's gonna let his sword do the talking...and it'll be talking a WHOLE lot.

"Here, you should take this." He gave Cloud a small pouch that contains money, only for him to turn it down.

"No, keep it. I've got enough money anyway and I could just hunt a Danger Beast should I run out." His eyes widened in surprise, but he smiled nonetheless.

"I hope we meet again, Cloud." A small smirk went on the swordsman's face.

"Likewise." Was his reply. He watched for a couple of minutes, seeing Mark leave his line of sight. The moment the blond warrior couldn't see him anymore, he decided to enter the village.

Looking at it from the inside...it was even worse than he thought. The houses were broken down, mostly made by wood and straws held tightly together instead of using brick and cement. Many people huddle together, trying to share body heat in order to preserve warmth. Many children were crying or playing amongst themselves, mostly the former. Even though it was cold, the weather didn't even bother the legacy of Zack, looking at the scene before him in downright horror.

 _"Why...who would so something so cruel? What kind of person treats the lives of others as if they were nothing more than mere toys to play with? I need to end this soon, or more people will suffer. But even with my skills, I'll end up being tortured and even worse, killed. I can't afford to give away the location of Night Raid, it'll make things hard for the Revolution. There aren't any heroes in this world. Just those who suffered and those who dish out the suffering. I hate taking lives... I regret having blood on my hands... but when I see that fat son of a bitch... I'm gonna make him pay...for all the pain he caused...for ruining this beautiful city... I'll make him pay!"_

As Cloud explored the village, he noticed a wanted poster sign. But it wasn't a Night Raid wanted poster. It was one for Danger Beasts.

 _"Hmm. Says here that there are multiple Danger Beasts in that mountain up ahead. The villagers have trouble getting supplies and whatever they need because of them. I'll do them a favor and help these people. It's the least I can do...in this messed up world of ours._

Wordlessly, Cloud decided to go up the trail. It was rather steep, so to say, filled with pebbles and sometimes rolling boulders, which he could slash away at a moment's notice.

Eventually, the swordsman walked inside the mouth of a cave. Deciding to play explorer, he wandered off, getting deeper into the cavern. Eventually, it got so dark to the point that his faint sapphire blue eyes were glowing faintly under the darkness of the cave. Just then, a huge droplet of liquid went to the floor, dissolving the very soil.

 _"What the..."_ another droplet went behind him, following the same effect as the first one. Eventually, it became so frequent that the ground around him. At first, he thought it was nothing until...

" _Wait... water doesn't dissolve into the ground...unless..."_ risking a glance, he decided to loop up and saw eight beady red eyes.

 _"Shit!"_ Rolling back, he barely dodged a swipe from the monster. The said Danger Beast decided to sime down from its hiding spot. What Cloud saw made him wanna throw up. The monster was so grotesque and so hideous that it would wanna make you peel your eyeballs out. It was a huge spider, with eight hairy legs and eight red, beady eyes. Huge fangs were from its mouth and it was drooling spit, the ground dissolving because of her saliva. A huge sac was on its ass.

 _"Oh, jeez. If Tifa were to see this."_ She always had a fear of spiders. Suddenly, the Danger Beast roared, spitting acid on him, trying to weaken its prey. Cloud moved his head, narrowly dodging each one. Backflipping forward, he tried to slash at the sac, or ass or whatever it is, but its back legs blocked the attack, rendering it useless. It pushed him back a few feet, but Cloud was able to stop himself before he fell. He slashed the front legs, making it hiss in pain and jabbed a sword on its chest, but the Danger Beast lowered its head, using its fangs to block the attack.

It tried to bite him in its fangs, but ended up failing as Cloud was able to slide under and stab its midsection. The result caused huge amounts of acid to fall to the ground. Fortunately, the swordsman was able to dodge it and get back up.

 _"Ugh...I can see why she hates spiders."_ Shaking his head, he dodged another bite and cut off its fangs, making it his in pain once more. Taking advantage of the distraction, Cloud severed its legs, went beehive and stabbed the sac on its ass, making more of those fluids gush out, and slashed horizontally across its body. The attack left it in about maybe eight...ten...maybe twenty pieces.

 _"That takes care of that."_ Thought Cloud, walking back into the village, but not before carrying its whole body in one hand, dragging the cadaver while walking.

 **Minutes later...**

As Cloud arrived, he saw many people on the village. All of them seemed to be in a frenzy, as if trying to escape from something.

 _"No..."_ Cloud saw Imperial Soldiers shooting up the place. Many were killed or in the process of dying. Some of them were even going as far as to rape women, even the ones that were married, forcing their husbands to watch while the soldiers rape their women, their eyes bulging out and trying to free themselves from the bounds of their captors, but were failing.

To make it worse, many more soldiers were coming for this village. About a hundred more were coming into the village.

Cloud watched the whole scene before him unfold. Shock went through his body, making him freeze up. Slowly and silently, he clenched his fists, his mako blue eyes hardening and his face turning into one of anger.

"I saw you making fun of Prime Minister Honest!"

"Oh, is this your wife!? Why don't you let me fuck her while you watch!"

"Ohh...so many good women here...I think I'll take all of them..."

"Get your asses over here!" Said one soldier, rounding up the children, perhaps to be used as slaves. Cloud saw the leader.

"Let 'em loose men! Go buck wild! Take everything that these people belong! EVERYTHING! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Show them what happens when the Prime Minister is in control of this country! The leader laughed maniacally, seeing his soldiers pilfer the village with no remorse and regret.

 _"This village has suffered enough...yet these bastards have the audacity to even put these people into greater hardship...I'm ending this...and I'm ending this now._ Slowly like a predator, he walked towards the leader, his eyes filled with anger. He took out all his swords and fused them together, making it into the Fusion Sword in its fullest. The captain then saw the swordsman walking towards them.

"Oh, ho! Looks like there's another person here that's willing to rebel! Show him what happens, men!" They all cheered, with confident smirks on their faces.

"Come here, pretty boy!"

"I'll take you to Honest as a means to show what happens if you defy him!"

"I'm gonna find your loved ones and kill and rape them, especially the women..." instead on answering, Cloud's face was filled with hidden rage.

 _"Bastards...all of them..."_ some of the men charged forward, in an attempt to kill the blond warrior...only for them to be cleaved in half, their body parts flying behind him. They fell to the ground with a thump. Some of them looked at him in fear, though their leader made them stay.

"He's only one man! We can take him!" Except he made a poor error in judgement. The blond warrior merely walked forward, his eyes filled with tranquil fury.

"These people already suffered enough. Many of them are starving, fending just to survive. Who do you think you are, just taking whatever you want!?" The swordsman demanded the leader. He merely laughed.

"I'm the captain of this platoon. I have the right to do what I want! Take what I want! This town and its women and children belongs to me! And I'll kill anyone who gets in my way! Even you..." to emphasize his point, he tried to shoot him, but Cloud merely tilted his head, dodging the bullet.

"For a captain, you've got lousy aim." The swordsman taunted. The leader growled.

"Get him, men! Anyone who takes his head will get a promotion!" They all charged him, their swords ready. Cloud merely walked forward and slashed in a huge arc one more, brutally bifurcating antone caught in his way. One guy was lucky enough to dodge and tried to stab him from behind, only to receive a broadsword through his chest.

Many more of his soldiers then saw their comrades in arms getting beaten. Abandoning the pillaging activities, they decided to join in the fight in an attempt to kill the swordsman. Many tried to shoot him, but their aim was severely lousy, causing them to miss his head in the process. The warrior dodged one strike and decapitated him, his head falling to the ground. Another received a kick to chest.

With every strike, Cloud's anger rose. All these people suffered because of Honest. All these good people had to deal with the hardships that he brings. All of the targets they all killed were selfish bastards who only cared about themselves. It's time to deliver them what they deserved.

Just then, multiple cannon shots surrounded the swordsman. He was covered up in so much smoke that you couldn't see him. The captain laughed, happy it was all over.

"HAHAHAHA! That's what happens when you mess with the Imperial Army!" Many of his subordinates laughed along with him, happy that the threat is gone. Except none of them could be anymore wrong. A pair of black and white wings popped out of his back, feathers dropping into the ground.

 _"What the...an angel!?"_ Thought the leader, shocked before his eyes. Cloud's anger rose to the point that he subconsciously activated the power within him. His left eye turned green with cat-like pupils once more. Darkness poured out of his body. His now heterochromia eyes were now glowing even more slightly. The leader was looking at him with fear. They've fought strong opponents before but they were armies. This man...he's in a whole nother caliber.

 **That attack of yours was commendable...but it was a foolish effort." Zooming forward, he appeared on the other side of a group of Imperial Troops.**

 **"Vanish." The soldiers that were caught in his path were immidiately cut down, their bodies falling dead. His anger from last night hasn't even dissipated, the sight of seeing these good people suffer under the hands of the Empire was pissing him off to no end. The air turned cold, forcing the soldiers to shiver. They all see behind him a silouette of a silver haired man with green eyes, both glowing ominously. The killer intent he was releasing was so huge that a few lesser soldiers dropped to the ground in fear, unable to face the lone warrior. The leader was looking at Cloud in downright fear and agony.**

 _"You're going to pay for your crimes." Picking him off his horse, Cloud threw the leader at the ground, the force skidding him a few feet. The leader was sweating bullets, starting at the ominous figure before him. His eyes were filled with hatred and rage. His black and white wings flapped periodically, making small gusts of winds._

"No! Please, I'll give you anything you want! Money, drugs you name it just leave me alone!!!" He shrieked, crying like a baby. Cloud just gave him a blank stare in return.

 _"Many of your victims plead for their life, yet you take it in cold blood. You and your men raped people, who were begging to die. You stole from those who are poor. All with a twisted smile on your face. What happened to that confidence now? Now that you're about to face your imminent death?" Cloud's voice seems to resonate with Sephiroth's, their voices synchronizing perfectly, making him all the more chilling._

 _"You can join the others...IN HELL!" Picking him up, Cloud brutally slashed him in half, his body parts falling to the ground, the leader with a shocked look on his face. Many of the villagers were looking at him in fear, which was understandable considering his efforts._

"Please...help my son..." Cloud slowly flew to the voice he heard, seeing a terribly sad sight. A mother, about in her late twenties was cradling her son, who was no more than eleven years old. His hardened gaze softened at the sight, aware of the feeling of losing someone close to you.

The blond swordsman held out his hand, green sparkles collecting in his palm, growing in concentration. Gathering enough energy, Cloud threw the ball of energy at the kid, the healing magic revitalizing the poor boy. His wounds and cuts slowly healed. Eventually, he opened his eyes.

"M-Mom? What happened?" Hearing the voice of her son, she cried in happiness, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so glad you're safe!" Cried the mother, hugging him even more. Looking at her son's savior, she gave Cloud a helpful look.

"Thank you...so much..." she said to him. Cloud nodded his head, but said nothing. Looking at his hands, shadows were coming out of them.

 _"I can't lose control like that again. I need to rein in this darkness."_ Thought the swordsman. When he saw the village getting murdered, his anger reached its boiling point. He can't afford to do such a thing once more, lest he loses control of himself. He barely has any control of this newfound power, only reacting in times of distress. Despite the bloodshed, people were slowly clapping for him. The volume grew, with many more joining in. Eventually, the people started to cheer for Cloud, even calling out his name.

"Where is the leader of this village?" Asked the swordsman, after the cheering died down. An old man stepped forward, his hand raised.

"Tell your chefs to prepare a feast." The old man just looked confused.

"It's time to feed your people." Eventually, the cheering erupted once more, with children calling his name. They do not need to fear this man anymore... because to his allies and the innocent, he's an angel but to the Empire and those related to Honest...a living nightmare.

It was nighttime. There was fortunately still enough meat to feed everyone. It seems that according to the village leader, this area has been occupied by the same attackers several times until Cloud drove them out. The blond swordsman just sat by the campfire, his left eye training back to blue once more looking out the sky. Just then, a beautiful girl approached him.

"Care to dance?" She asked, giving him a radiant smile.

"I...can't dance." Admitted the swordsman sheepishly, causing the girl to giggle.

"I can show you. Please?" She asked, giving him a pleading look. He sighed, but smiled nonetheless.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." Said the warrior. The girl excitedly took his hand and even though Cloud tripped a few times, he was able to get the hang of it. The people cheered for their savior, happy to be free from the bandit attacks.

The blond warrior said goodbye to the people, feeling the need to rest up. Many girls were giving Cloud a dreamy look. Leaning onto one of the houses, he looked up once more.

 _"This is only the beginning. Akame, Leone, Sheele, Lubbock, Tatsumi, Mine, Bulat, Boss... I'll help you free this country from its corruption. It's time this country learns to fight back."_

 **Sorry about the late update. Reviews are appreciated, but if you wanna be a jackass then don't be here. Oh, and don't worry, Cloud won't summon this newfound power every time. Eventually, he'll learn to control it. It'll only activate when in times of distress or when he's really angered.**


	8. A New Rival Appears

**What's up my avid readers! I'm terribly sorry for writing...rather late as because of writer's block. I've been thinking about this story thought for quite a while but could not formulate a plan. I won't abandon this though, as I didn't expect this to become quite well-known. I have a little over 100 followers and 90 faves. Thanks for your support, all of you.**

 **Oh, and also I'm also thinking about writing a story regarding all the people Cloud met in his little dimensional travels. It's I guess you can say it's an AU, but it ties to all the stories I have written as of far, and more. To put it in simple terms, kind of like Cloud's very own Straw Hat Crew, you know like Luffy. Except the people Cloud travels with are full of badasses and are more lethal. Here are Cloud's companions for the story:**

 **Accelerator (A Certain Magical Index).**

 **Touma Kamijou (Same franchise as Accelerator).**

 **Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue).**

 **Guts (Berserk).**

 **Vali Lucifer (Highschool DXD).**

 **Noctis Lucis Caelum (Final Fantasy XV).**

 **Squall Leonhart (Final Fantasy VIII).**

 **EMIYA, or Archer as his class name (Fate/Stay Night).**

 **Cloud and everyone else would be more or less the age of a mid to late teenager. Like I said, this is a story that's technically not even canon, but it is something of my own amusement. But Cloud will retain the powers he gains in this story. He'll also learn some martial arts and new sword fighting styles. If anyone has any ideas for Cloud's little crew, please put it on reviews.**

 **Remember, this isn't canon to any of the stories, and only written for my own amusement. Besides, not one person has written the ideas of Cloud gaining and mastering the power of Sephiroth.**

 **In every story I read, it's always him fighting the silver haired general. That plot line has been overused, so I thought, "why not let Cloud gain some of his powers?" Cloud's already a badass, and he does have some of Sephiroth's S-Cells, and thus, with enough training Cloud can basically do what Sephiroth can, and more. But don't worry, I'm not gonna make this some typical Gary-Stu crap and I'll try to delve away from that territory as possible. Besides, as awesome as his powers are, he's also gonna need a bit of backup from time to time.**

 **Since that this technically isn't canon to ANY of the stories written, some events may have been written differently. And Cloud's whole "team" won't appear. He'll only take a couple of his amigos and go. Besides, another person has basically pulled something like this and despite it being brief (and unfinished), he mostly got positive reviews. A pity he hasn't updated since 2009, though.**

 **Also, no other FF characters will appear. If I were to make a ship for this story, Cloud X Tifa will NOT be in this story. As Cloud is considered deceased in his own world and is unable to come back there. I'm sorry for those who are rooting for that ship but it isn't happening. Plus, that's also kind of been overused as well. I wanna try to not use overused plot lines appearing, such as Cloud fighting Sephiroth or Tifa appearing. If you don't like the story, there's the exit button on the top left corner. Reviews are certainly appreciated, but if you wanna be a jackass with no helpful advice whatsoever and just wants to be insulting, then don't even bother.**

 **I own nothing, 'cause if I were to own the Akame ga Kill franchise, I would lessen the amount of deaths on Night Raid's behalf and give Wild Hunt and Honest a more brutal ending, especially for Syura.**

 **Oh, and God-King Ghidora, sorry, but I cannot do your request. I'm not much of a fan of Harry Potter. I do not hate it, but rather I'm not interested in the series. Never watched Ikkitousen as well.**

 **Sorry for the long AN, onto the juicy stuff!**

It was morning. The sun rose over the village that was being reconstructed because of the empire's soldiers. People were working diligently to get their village back into working shape, the atmosphere not tense for once, instead it being lively.

Cloud Strife yawned, and stretched his muscles. His clothes were covered in blood, so someone was nice enough to lend him a replacement and they washed the black hood he donned so that no one could see his face. Unfortunately, his original set of clothes were in the base of Night Raid, courtesy of Akame. Despite being a cold assassin, he was surprised to find out she was also decent at stitching up clothes, to the point where you don't even see the damage anymore.

 _"Weird dream I had."_ Thought the spiky blonde, looking at his hands. Ever since Cloud unlocked this "power," he kept getting these dreams. It were brief glimpses, at most. But one thing was for sure. In all of these dreams, he saw a tall, winged humanoid with a pair of wings, leaving nothing behind but destruction in his wake, and a couple of black and white feathers. In all of these dreams, he kept seeing that same mako-eyed wolf, looking at him, its eyes piercing into his soul.

 _"I...will never be a memory."_ Those were the last words the silver haired general uttered before disappearing into the Lifestream. Meaning Sephiroth is still alive...but for him to awaken his power...it would possibly mean that before Cloud's supposed death, Sephiroth's soul inhabited Cloud's mind. Which was weird, because the first time he had a mental battle with him, he literally Omnislashed him out of existence.

Cloud hated the general with all his guts. He was the main reason why his mother died, along with Aerith and the village people. But the blond can't deny his connection to him. If Sephiroth's essence were to be truly within Cloud's mind, then that would mean that he does have someone to talk to in his own world...even if that person was the greatest soldier alive. The black wing represents his connection to Sephiroth, his dark desires and his willlingness to show no mercy to the opposition. The white wing on the other hand represents his desire to protect his loved ones, reflecting purity. Cloud was hoping to having a little talk to Sephiroth soon...assuming he does show himself.

The wolf's warning still didn't leave his mind, though. It told him to have control, implying that Sephiroth may have some plan to try to force him into submission.

 _"I've taken him down before, and I'll do so again."_

That wolf...Cloud felt a connection of him. It was like the wolf...was a portion of something that peresented Cloud. It was as if Cloud could feel some part of him inside that creature. He still couldn't figure it out yet, though as he didn't even notice its presence until now at least. Sighing in annoyance, Cloud dressed up in the clothes they village people gave him, a simple white shirt and some black shorts to match. He wanted black, but didn't want to act ungrateful to them, especially since they treated a big feast dedicated to him and the freedom of the village. Putting his hands in his pockets, the blonde warrior trudged forward, his face returning to its stoic facade. He looked up at the sky.

 _"Strange...I've been developing that habit lately."_ Cloud thought, pushing forward. The swordsman was oblivious to girls ranging from late teens to early adulthood giggling and/or blushing when they see him pass by, the shirt just revealing his lean, but muscular body. Hearing the giggles of women, bringing him down to Earth, the blond sighed.

 _"Kinda wish I'd give my whole fan base to Lubbock, considering he basically envies me."_ The thought of Lubbock being surrounded be fangirls was almost ridiculous to the blond, as the reason women keep thier distance from him was because of his perverse nature. Granted, Cloud likes the guy, but there was one time where Sheele lost her glasses...again and was looking for it blindly, grabbing whatever got on her hands because of her limited vision, and Lubbock was behind her, a perverse expression on his face, trying to get a good look of her butt...until Leone pounded him to the ground that is. It also doesn't help that Sheele's dress reveals her toned legs.

Still...Night Raid may be Cloud's new family and none of them are saints to begain with, but with the time he spent with them, Cloud would do anything to ensure their safety. Despite being trained killers, none of them harm anyone who's done nothing wrong. Unless a person is a) committing acts so horrifying like mass rape, murder, child trafficking or b), the Prime Minister himself, Night Raid would leave those people alone.

Cloud knows that man is capable of evil. He's witnessed it first hand when he fought Sephiroth. But these people...the targets he's killed...even Sephiroth would be disgusted by how horrifying some of these people act. Another pitiful thing about these targets: none of them are even capable of defending themselves, using only a pistol. The majority of them tend to act high and mighty, but when Night Raid blocks them into a corner, their targets tend to beg for their life, as if doing so would make them live. Long story short, it didn't.

There is no "hero" in the Empire. A hero isn't someone who takes lives, even if such a cause is noble. Anyone who's in a position of authority tend to abuse it, caring only for themselves and not others. Most of them get rich by the suffering of innocent people. The most fucked up thing: they all get a good laugh about it, acting as if the life of a man or woman, or even worse, a child were to be a mere play toy. No one is safe from the corruption. Men, women and children are all at risk. Only those who have tenacity and determination can pull through the tough times of this world. People always have to constantly watch their backs, for even your trusted friend could be your greatest enemy. And all this is because that fatass Minister was running around.

Najenda sent him pictures of the misdeeds Honest did to this country. Seeing his face pissed him off to no end. When he sees this man, the swordsman would dish out a punishment so utterly painful he would beg for his life and get on his knees. Some people truly deserve such an ending. Starting with this fatass and the rest who dares strike against those who has done nothing wrong.

But still...despite how fucked up this world can be...there's always a good person. Not everyone in this world are evil. There are those who truly wish to do the right thing. Cloud wishes to meet those people...because he's seem enough bad people in this world.

 _"That's right, the village leader wanted something from me."_ Thought Cloud, walking forward to his desired location. Before he hit the hay last night, a couple of people showed him the location of the house of the leader, just in case the swordsman needed something from him. In this case, though...the elder wanted to ask something of him. Though the attention was a bit...annoying, part of the spiky blond likes it, not because of his chick magnet tendencies, but because they all appreciate him. Before he became the badass he was today, Cloud was constantly ridiculed by his peers, resulting in him developing anger issues when he was young. His mother was the only person that cared for the swordsman's well being. Irony has its ways doesn't it. Before, he wants attention, but now, he doesn't seem to care for it.

"Ah, yes. The leader has been waiting for you, Mr. Strife." One of the guards said to him in a formal, yet polite tone.

"Take me to him." The guard nodded his head and led him inside the house. The house was pretty small, despite the leader's position.

 _"Then again, with that tarantula beast and those bastards attacking, it's no wonder these people cannot afford to act fancy."_ Thought Cloud.

"Ah, yes. Hello there." The old man was looking healthy as ever, despite his weariness.

"I just wanted to say thanks for saving my village from those cruel Empire soldiers." The spiky blond looked down in anger.

 _"If I find that Prime Minister, I'm gonna be sure to make him every ounce of pain he deserves for bringing innocent people to ruin."_

"Sir, if you do not mind me asking, how long have they been raiding this area?" The elder clenched his fists, remembering all the times they raided the village, no one even able to stop them.

"For months, at most. You see, our village was fairly thriving. Animals were nearby, ready to be feasted on, the people here are very sociable and with so many trees around us, we could easily use them to make houses. But when those soldiers started to raid the area, they took so many lives of my people. Hundreds dead. Women have been constantly raped and children were either sold to slavery or killed in sight. No one is spared from their cruelty. People only live here now because they have no choice, or just doesn't want to leave their home. Thanks to you, the trade routes are open for us again and we can get out there knowing that same group won't raid us any longer." The man handed him a silver key.

"As gratitude, take this key. I'll make sure the villagers find you a proper home for what you've done to us."

Normally, at such an action, he would jump in joy or demand money, if his memories were still swapped away. But that was the old Cloud now.

"I'm grateful, I really am, but I can't take this. I already have a home."

 _"Back in Night Raid."_ Finished Cloud within his head.

The old man looked disappointed, but took the key back. "Very well, then I shall give you something else. Follow me." Cloud did what was asked of him, following him to the back of the house, with the guards standing behind him for good measure.

"I shall give you something, a family heirloom. One that's been with us for generations." One of the guards gasped.

"You don't mean..." the elder nodded his head.

"Yes...my son has died protecting this village from their last invasion, and my brother as well. No one in my family can use this weapon, and I am too old to use it. It's time to give it to someone worthy."

 _"Hmm. They're giving me a weapon, huh? This should be interesting."_ It's not like he would switch out his current one, but whatever this is...he'd be lying if he says he isn't interested.

Minutes of rummaging through and the man fished out the one he was looking for. It was a spear, about the length of his sword when fully assembled. It's color was mostly black, with tints of green. It was three pronged, though the middle point stuck out the most. It's design looks...ancient in nature more so than the current Teigu that the Night Raiders use. **(AN: Sorry, I can't exactly describe things well.)**

"This, my young one is a spear called Gungnir. My family has used this weapon for generations now, and me being the last wielder. I am too old to fight and the last of my family has passed away. Now this weapon...belongs to you."

Cloud couldn't describe it, but he felt a strong sense of power emanating within the weapon. It looked like a simple spear st first glance...but the swordsman felt like it was capable of more. Much, much more.

"Are...you sure about this?" The man nodded.

"Yes. Even if I were to pass away, someone else would eventually find it and use it. I fear that this weapon would belong to the wrong hands..." he trailed off.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's so unique about this spear?" The elder chuckled.

"Our family is has always been against the Empire, especially now that Prime Minister Honest hold the leash. My brothers and sisters and my predecessors used this very weapon to defeat those who would disturb the peace of the Empire. We try to eliminate those who would prey on the weak, give them a sense of hope in this cruel world. But now... in the last couple of raids...many of my family has died. Thank you for avenging them, Cloud. Their spirits can now rest easy."

This gave Cloud a sense of deja vu, as the Buster Sword also had a history as well. The first user was Angeal Hewley, who rarely used it because it would be rusted. Next, was Zack Fair, his best friend. After that was him. Now... the huge sword laid on the church, waiting to be taken. Like Gungnir, The Buster Sword is also filled with a history of blood, sorrow, hardship and the experience of the users. There was yet to be another user.

"Well...if you insist..." replied the blond hesitantly, taking the spear from his hands.

 **Meanwhile in the North...**

General Esdeath was busy sitting in a throne made of ice, courtesy of her Teigu. The sadistic general of the Empire went on a conquest to capture and eliminate the rebels. She also ordered some to be left alive, so that she could use them as her new play toys later on.

Right now, Numa Saika was buck naked, licking the feet of the blue haired general. She expected a tough fight from the fabled hero of the north, but instead her army crushed it in an instant, thanks to her. She also allowed her men to indulge in raping, killing civilians or doing whatever they desire once the army was defeated, because in her own words, "The strong prey upon the flesh of the weak, that is the law of the land." Yet little does she know, the sadist is about to meat someone that can rival, or even exceed her power.

Just recently, she felt a faint, but immense spike of power from a faraway distance. A small smirk graced her lips.

 _"Whoever you are...wherever you may be... I will subjugate you and make you kneel under me. I will show you who's the dominant between the both of us!"_ She knew that whoever that person was...she exepcts to meet him soon...and battle that person to the death.

 **Sorry for cutting it short. I'm still trying to get back to the swing of things and I've been trying to muster up the tenacity to write. Summer vacay really does take it away sometimes, lol.**

 **Oh, yeah and I've read some of your requests. I don't mind doing some, but it depends on the type of story.**

 **Here are some of the powers Cloud receives with Sephiroth's power under his control:**

 **Flight: With or without wings, he is able to levitate himself in the air.**

 **Killer Intent: So strong it can put lesser men frozen in fear or sometimes even be traumatized. Enough to create strong winds.**

 **Magic: No Materia needed to cast magic. As of now, he can only cast low to mid tier spells but mastering this power can eventually allow him to cast high level magic attacks like Ultima or Comet.**

 **Flash Step: Able to move quickly with a blink of an eye.**

 **Any ideas? Pls put it on reviews.**

 **Just in case any of you are to wonder about Gungnir, don't worry, I have plans for that weapon...big plans...**


	9. The Wolf Makes his Mark

**What's up people! Sorry about the last chappie. I know it was brief, but I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things, with summer vacay taking away all your free time. But I do have this story on my mind now and school's more than a month away and I need to crank out more chapters before homework becomes a problem.**

 **Thaqif: ...Just trust me on this okay? Plus, I'm well aware that a spear doesn't fit Cloud. I'll leave what you think up to your interpretation.**

 **If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to review it and I'll see if it could fit in the story. I'm always open for new ideas, but if you're the type that's gonna demand for a change, then get out. Write your own story. I'm not doing this to please the needs of one person.**

 **Also, regarding that story I spoke of last chapter, I also thought of another person being added to Cloud's so call little "group." I'll tell you this though, he's in an anime called Yu Yu Hakusho and it's NOT Yusuke.**

 **Enough talk, let's get it on!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 _"Hmm. Gungnir..."_ were the thoughts on Cloud's head, scrutinizing the weapon head to toe, or rather tip to hilt. It felt well-balanced, not too heavy nor too light. It was lighter than his sword in its fully assembled form. But the swordsman isn't going to use this. A spear doesn't exactly fit the mold and plus, he's already good with one weapon. Well, a huge BFS that can separate into six separate, but usable swords. Thanks to its weight, Cloud barely slowed down on his walk.

It's hours since the blond moved out of the area. When the mayor announced the leave of their hero, many were saddened but knew that Cloud can't stay in one place forever. Though it didn't stop him to get multiple kisses on the cheek, a few flirtatious winks or some girls trying to get a piece...good thing they were all single too.

The blond couldn't help but feel bad for Lubbock. He isn't a bad person and is a nice guy, but the only thing that separates him from the ladies is his tendency to drool when seeing a hot body. Being around four buxom ladies doesn't really help (because according to him, Mine is too much of a washboard to peep on.)

Tatsumi, while not as bad as the green coated lech, is a perv himself, albeit more covert. While Cloud cooked for the whole group, he noticed Lubbock giving his fellow village boy a couple of...rather risqué magazines he got from who knows where. And from the shit eating grin on Tatsumi's face indicates that he wants to see the goods.

Cloud sighed. Despite being a group of assassins, when they're not doing their duty, they can be friendly, sociable and easy to talk to. Well, except for Mine. She's a bit of a jackass. Slicking his hair back, he trudged through the road.

 **Meanwhile...**

Great General Budo was downright pissed off. Scratch that, he was furious. A scout from the Imperial Army went through the council room of the government and kneeled in front of the Emperor, who was nothing more than a mere child. Due to his naïveté, he was too reliant on the Prime Minister to solve his problems, which contributed to the decline of this once beautiful nation. It was also thanks to Honest that the rest of the councilmen were instead messing around, indulging in debauchery and pleasure instead of trying to change the civil unrest that was rising. This truly was a beautiful place, until that fat son of a bitch ruined it all.

"General Budo and Emperor Makoto, I have a report!" Said the scout, showing deference to the higher ups by bowing respectfully. A few tense moments have passed, so thick a sword can cleave it. Seeing the apprehensive look on their faces, Budo broke the silence.

"Speak." Replied the revered/feared general of the Empire.

"Two of our generals, Nakakido and Hemi have left us and joined the Revolutionary Army!" Murmurs broke out. Many of the councilmen spoke among themselves, in hushed tones. Budo felt disappointed.

 _"To think two of our trusted and best leaders of our army would go to the side of the rebels. Those Night Raiders cause nothing but trouble."_ He thought, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

"Silence!" Demanded the Emperor. All followed suit.

"We cannot let their desertion get to us. Remember, we are equipped with the best soldiers and we own the largest army in all of the Empire! Let those rebels gather in one place! It should make it easier for us to crush them when the times comes!" He then sat down.

"Did I do it right, Minister?" The aforementioned son of a bitch was munching on a piece of beef. He was a tall man that wore a green sweater an gray jacket. Unfortunately thanks to his fat stature, Honest is forced to keep it open.

"Yes, indeed your highness. Way to boost morale for the soldiers." Commended the Prime Minister, smiling while eating.

"We have bigger problems at hand! Iokal is dead, Captain Ogre is also down for the count and Zanku was also killed and his Teigu taken! I'm so upset I've been putting on weight!" Yeah, as if you aren't fat enough.

Budo merely pondered about this. While their deaths made little impact to the Empire overall, if this keeps up, then their defense and their associates would crumble down and be killed, causing the root and structure of the government to collapse.

"Listen here and listen well." Boomed their deep voice of Budo. "Remember, these pesky rebels are nothing but a ragtag bunch of misfits! We must do everything in our power to eliminate them by any means necessary! It's high time we wipe out those pesky rebels of the face of this Empire! We cannot let these deaths allow this kingdom to fall! We must forge on and defeat the enemy!" The people cheered, inspired by Budo's speech...until the scout killed the mood.

"I have some...graver news. Remember the hooded figure I told you before, your Emperor? The person sporting the black and white wings?" The mention if that person put fear in everyone's hearts. Ever since Cloud literally massacred those Imperial Troops, news of his appearance spread like wildfire. Even Budo was surprised by how much damage one person caused.

"Whoever this guy is, he's more monstrous than I have thought. It seems that Night when he first appeared, he killed and brutalized over 600 Imperial Soldiers. Cannons were broken, body parts were everywhere and there was a girl that worked for the Imperial Police even gave a description." He took out a slip of paper.

She said and I quote, "He was a force of nature. He ripped my Teigu in half and easily eliminated all those Imperial Troops in one sword swing. He moved so fast I couldn't even keep up. I couldn't see his face, but I saw a glimpse of his eyes. They were cold...yet burning with fury. His killer intent...it was so strong I couldn't even move. I also saw another man behind him, almost like a silhouette. It was a tall man with green cat like eyes, clad in black and silver. On his left hand was a katana, ranging to be twelve feet long. Both him and that silouette were looking at me...eyes piercing my very soul. And his wings... black and white, one as dark as the night sky while the other...pure as the sun itself."

"And that's not all. One day later, it seems he encountered one of our platoon units and he annihilated them all." Everyone looked like they were about to shit their pants. Indeed, Cloud's newfound powers made people shit their pants. And due to a black hood covering his face and body and his wings, they started to call him, "Angel of Death" because of the wings he has and his brutality towards those of the Empire.

Cloud knows he isn't a saint. The swordsman knows that having the life of an assassin can basically lead one down a path of bloodshed and carnage. But in a cruel world such as this, someone or something needs to be changed. Due to the evil nature of man in this world, mere protest and arresting people will do nothing to fix the problem. Everything is corrupt in this world. The government...the police...anyone with a position of authority no matter how huge or small, the people will most likely abuse it, caring only for themselves instead of others. It was sickening to the core. How man can be so selfish, so cruel...

With the sole exception of Professor Hojo, the people of Shinra would be downright disgusted by the people here, if they were to see the state it was in. Yes, Shinra is by no means a benevolent organization, but methods such as public executions or torture racks is something even they would cringe on. Then again, they wanna look good to the public, while being a jackass indoors...

Even though the appearance of this so called "Angel" occurred, news tend to spread around the Capital like wildfire, despite the technology. But still...if this mysterious man is someone that opposes the Empire, then trying to get him to their side is pointless, especially since he slaughtered not one, but two platoons of Imperial Soldiers.

"Where is General Esdeath?" Demanded Budo.

"Did someone call for me?" A smooth, feminine voice called out. The people turned their heads and gasped at awe and fear at the sight before them.

Walking down the hallway as a tall woman, about 5'7, which is tall for a female. The woman's hair was a shade of blue, like the ocean itself. Her skin is porcelain and smooth and her eyes were icy blue. Her clothes were mostly white, with a bit of black, the apparel of a high ranking General of the Empire, with high heeled boots, a scarf on her neck and long sleeved shirt. A tattoo was on her chest, just above her breasts, which rivaled Leone's impressive rack. She walked down the hallway with grace and smoothness, yet the aura she radiates means she isn't the type of mess around either.

"G-General Esdeath!" The scout stuttered out, bowing out of fear and respect. The one called Esdeath ignored him and walked right up to the Minister, kneeling.

"The northern tribe has been taken care of." She declared proudly.

"Excellent, I will send 10,000 gold pieces immediately." Replied the child ruler.

"Thank you. Please forward the money to my soldiers posted there. They could sure use it in such cold conditions." She then stood up. "So why have you called me here?" Asked the Empire's Strongest.

"Have you heard of a hooded man with black and white wings?" Asked the Prime Minister, his fat ass munching on some meat.

"Well, no considering I was far away up there." Admitted the General.

"Very well, allow me to explain." Began the child Emperor. He recounted the time Cloud mercilessly murdered hundreds of soldiers on one night and how a platoon of another soldiers disappeared, leaving nothing behind but two feathers: one black and one white.

A look of excitement danced across the stoic general's face. "So you meant to tell me he took on two platoon singlehandedly without any backup whatsoever?" With reluctance, the scout nodded his head to answer the question.

Silence ensued after. The tension was thick enough to be cleaved in half, with no one saying a word. After a few minutes passed by, Esdeath began to chuckle. Then that chuckle turned into snickering, which grew louder into full blown laughter. Many of the people thought she lost her mind.

"So...this winged angel massacred hundreds of troops with ease all by himself, huh?! If I find this so called, "Angel of Death," he will be frozen before me! Finally, a worthy challenge! Someone who could possibly match me in combat!"

You see, while Esdeath is relatively calm compared to Budo, the thought of fighting a strong opponent brings her excitement. Numa Seika barely put up a fight, despite the populace claiming his strength. Her laughter could be heard across the room, killer intent leaking off in waves. After a few minutes she collected herself.

"Now...where are the Three Beasts? I believe I needed to ask them a favor." On cue, three men, clad in black appeared behind her out of nowhere, surprising the people within the room.

"Lord Esdeath, what is your command?" Asked a tall, silver haired man, which was tied in a ponytail.

 **Meanwhile...**

Cloud was eating some deer he hunted, eating on the flesh of the animal. An extremely cold shiver went down his spine.

 _"I got a bad feeling about this..."_ thought the swordsman. As much as the blond wanted to go back to Night Raid, he felt hesitant to do so, partly because of his newfound powers. Cloud knows he's basically playing with fire here, utilizing the abilities of someone he despised. But that wolf did bring up a good point, no matter how hard it is to admit it. Due to Sephiroth's cells coursing through his very being, the silver haired general is essentially a part of Cloud. For we all know, a small part of his consciousness resides in Cloud's body.

It was unexpected, to say the least. This kind of life...this world...it's beautiful. The trees...the animals...it's a paradise to live in. But thanks to the corruption running rampant, demons with the faces of humans run about, doing whatever the hell they want. Just thinking about the Prime Minister pissed Cloud off. He never thought he would feel this type of rage towards someone before.

Killing is something that doesn't sit well with Cloud. Just thinking about taking away a human life makes him a bit uneasy. Cloud has done so before, but mostly out of self defense. Now the circumstances are different, mostly now because he has to cut people's heads off, taking the initiative. But he also knows that letting them live is also a bad idea, due to their greed and destructive tendencies. Turning them in to the police is not a bad idea...had it not been corrupted as well. If Cloud were to ever see the Prime Minister, he would make sure to put him through some unimaginable pain...a suffering worthy of his sins for the lives that died due to his doing...he would make Honest brutally suffer for his crimes.

 _"It's too late to go back on this path...time to see it through the very end."_ Replied the blond warrior. Eliminating the fire, Cloud decided to go further walking. The swordsman wished that he had his old bike back. The black hood he donned did well to hide his face. It was surprising that despite being able to summon a pair of wings, no holes appeared on the clothing. Fortunately as well, since his clothes were back at the hideout, he could still wear them at a daily basis and since the hood did well to obscure his face, the swordsman's identity as an assassin is still a well kept secret.

 _"I chose to be an assassin. My hands have been stained with blood. Although they aren't of innocent people, many look down on us. Can't blame them, considering many people think we go after just anyone. While in the contrary, we go after anyone who dares harm others. None of us are saints, that much I can understand, but we also aren't the type to hurt others for no reason at all. Those who try to live and survive and go about their day...they deserve a chance at life and try to endure the horrors that is this world...but if there is someone who tries to go out of their way and hurt innocent people...they need to go."_ Looking at his hands, Cloud looked on, the wind blowing through his spiky blond hair, his electric glowing blue eyes alert.

After for what it seems like hours of endless walking and seemingly getting lost, Cloud found himself in a cold part of the area. Snow was everywhere, covering the blond's vision with white snowflakes the size of peas. Fortunately, due to fighting in a variety of conditions, the cold didn't bother the swordsman one bit.

Along the way though, Danger Beasts popped up as if they were flies. They were immediately cleaved down to the bone. Some oddly enough look like sabertooth tigers, whose elongated fangs could be sold for a decent amount of cash. The real danger was he found a couple of monsters that looked akin to a wooly mammoth. Most were just babies and they left him alone, but those that were older tried to impale him with their tusks. Long story short, it was in pieces a couple minutes later. It's fur was thick enough to be used as a coat of sorts, especially since at their weather like this. Its tender and juicy meat could also be used as a food supply for Night Raid. Cloud couldn't help but chuckle, seeing how Akame would drool over the amount of meat she would devour.

 _"Wait...why'd I think of Akame?"_ Shaking his head, the swordsman trudged on, leaving the beast in pieces. The warrior considered taking some of its fur and sell it so that he could give it to Tatsumi's village, only to realize that he doesn't have a place to even store it, in addition to the added weight slowing down the swordsman. Walking a little more for quite some time, Cloud noticed a group of people a couple distances away.

 _"Hmm. Wonder what they're up to."_ Curiosity getting the better of him, he walked toward the caravan. Putting his hands in his pockets, he was about to go say hi to them and possibly ask where they are, until Cloud saw a Danger Beast behind them.

 _"Damn!"_ Reacting quickly, Cloud threw the main blade of his trusty weapon, cleaving the animal in half and returning to him shortly thereafter.

"Freeze!" Said a man.

 _"From the look of things, this looks like a bodyguard job."_ Thought the swordsman. Each of them were equipped with swords or spears with relatively light armor, along with coats for protection against the cold. About twenty people surround the area.

"Why did you attack us!?" Demanded a girl that looked like about Akame's age, but shorter. Her eyes were electric blue and she donned a winter coat like the rest of the guards, but it was smaller to fit her figure in contrast to the bulky bodies of the men.

"Look behind that block of ice and see for yourself." Answered the blond.

"How dare you insult Lady Spear!? I'll have you executed for that!" Cloud's eye twitched but said nothing, seeing how this was all a misunderstanding.

"What's going on here?" An old man came out the carriage, wearing clothes betting that of nobility.

"This man tried to attack us, dad." Regarded Spear.

"Is that true, young man?" Cloud shook his head.

"No. I've said that I was aiming for that-" The blond swordsman was interrupted when a loud roar was heard. Just then, a Sabertooth Danger Beast flew towards the old man, claws aimed at him.

"Everyone! Prepare yourselves!" Suddenly, Cloud grabbed the beast by the scruff of it's neck, surprising anyone.

 _"He's fast!"_ Thought Spear. In one fluid motion, he snapped the Danger Beast's neck, its body lifeless. He threw its corpse on the snow.

"Now do you believe me when I said I meant no harm?" Asked Cloud.

 _"It takes a lot of strength to even pick up a beast of that size, now he even snapped its neck!?"_ The guard captain thought.

"Well, since it's obvious that you saved us from a threat that would've killed our emissary, I would like to thank you." Said the captain guard, bowing formally to prove his point.

"A man named Kent sent me to look for the Prime Minister. Do you know where he is?" Asked Cloud. A smile graced the old man's lips.

"Ah, Kent, yes I know the boy. A bit hot blooded, but meant well." The blond's eyes widened a bit, catching on to the meaning of his words.

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Cloud replied sheepishly. The old man chuckled.

"It's alright. Now, why don't you come with us?" Spear's eyes looked at her father.

"But are you sure? Even though he saved you, we don't even know what he's planning." Chouri frowned a bit, agreeing with her logic, but he nevertheless smiled.

"It's alright. All my years of being the Minister, I can tell the good or bad in people. This man...it's obvious he's got a troubled past, but he means no harm to us in any shape or form." Cloud cringed a bit at that. Seemed the old man was more perceptive than he was given credit for.

Ever since Cloud arrived in this world, he has been able to tell which people are good or bad. Oddly enough, despite being the Prime Minister, the man didn't give off a cold, chilling aura. It was warm, almost welcoming.

Cloud also remembered that The Three Beasts planned to attack Chouri soon and Cloud could take them out here and now, should they arrive. Foil to Honest, this man looked cheerful, friendly and even courteous. The way Najenda described Honest, he was a fat prick who enjoyed the suffering of others. Chouri was nothing like that. Plus, having the previous Prime Minister on the Revolutionary Army's side can certainly boost their morale.

"Very well. I accept your offer." Replied the swordsman politely. They immidiately began to walk not too long after. The guards were still a bit tense in letting Cloud travel with them, but orders are orders and they cannot do anything about it, regardless of how hard they protest. Cloud decided to enter the carriage, with Spear glaring at him.

"I assure you, I'm not going to kill your father." Replied the swordsman reassuringly. A soft smile graced the stoic swordsman's lips, to try to reassure her. Spear's cheeks turned red and looked down a bit in embarrassment.

 _"Damn it! Why does he have to be so...attractive?"_ Thought Spear. Shaking her head, she glared at him once more. The guard captain, whose name was Edward entered the carriage, his eyes glaring at Cloud. The glares really made him uncomfortable, as Cloud really meant well and won't do anything to harm Chouri. But even after saving him, they still don't trust him.

 _"Damn it all..."_ sighed the blond warrior, looking out into the snow.

"So, Cloud? Why did a lone traveler like yourself end up in these cold areas?" Asked Chouri, trying to break the tension, seeing how tense Cloud was despite his best attempts to hide it.

"Let's just say that I didn't have a happy childhood and the Empire decided to take a stroll and burn my village down to the ground." He used the same excuse to when he met Night Raid. Not all of it is exactly wrong anyway.

"I see, so you're one of the people who suffered under the rule of Honest."

"It's not only me. It's everyone. I saw mass executions, public torture, even people being burned alive right before my eyes...it's barbaric." Said the blond with disgust evident in his tone. While Edward and Spear were still suspicious of him, from the way he talked about his hatred for Honest made their glares soften slightly, seeing how truthful Cloud was.

"That's why I'm coming to the Capital. So that I can try to remove Honest from his seat of power."

"You cannot do that yet, Prime Minister." Spear glared at him.

"Oh, and why not!?" Chouri held up a hand to tell her to keep quiet, then gestured for Cloud to go on.

"Let's face it, with someone as cruel as Prime Minister Honest, simply removing him from his position won't do. He'll do everything in his power to kill you and everyone you hold dear. That's the type of man he is." Najenda gave him reports about how he once ordered an execution of a whole family because they protested. It was also implied that he was a cannibal, particularly eating young women. Even the blond couldn't help but cringe at his eating habits.

"This world...it's so beautiful...but it's filled with people with corrupt intentions." Said Cloud, his face somber and angered at the state of the Empire.

"I suppose that both your daughter and your guard captain will glare until holes are burned at the back of my head. I'll tell you something. I have no love for the state of this kingdom. I despise it. Poor people beg for change, others die in gruesome ways and the man all behind it is doing nothing, eating a piece of meat just watching from that damn castle. I had a close friend...he goes by Zack Fair...he died defending me from the Imperial Troops. Before he passed away...he gave me his sword, his last words being, "My honor...my dreams...they're yours now. You'll be...my living legacy." Those were the last words that uttered out of his mouth before he died from gunshots and stab wounds." Well, it wasn't necessarily false, as Zack really kicked the bucket defending him while he was in a catatonic state. He didn't want to reveal a small part of his personal life, as that was one of his most painful memories, but he needed to gain their trust and to assure them that Cloud will never hurt Chouri.

"In truth, I want to make sure this country gets better. It's..." Cloud trailed off, not knowing what to say. Spear and Edward softened their glares, seeing how the trauma affected him badly.

"I can truly understand why you have some suspicions of me. I also want to show you I mean to harm. Killing someone without a reason is below me, people even in a cruel world like this deserve to live. But if I see someone harming any of my friends or any innocents...they'll answer to me." Cloud's eyes filled with determination, to show them that he wishes change in this country.

 _"If I can get a handle on this new...power of mine, I can change the tides of battle. I'll take on hundreds of those bastards if need be."_ Thought the blond swordsman.

Suddenly, noises of fighting were heard outside.

"What's going on there!?" Asked Edward, going out of the carriage. Curiosity getting the better of them, Cloud followed suit. He saw three men wearing black and white clothes. One guy threw his

 _"Kent said that the Three Beasts are coming after his master, these people must be the one."_ Donning his cloak, Cloud obscured his face with the hood.

"I suppose you are the Three Beasts?" Asked Cloud, narrowing his eyes. The man who threw Belvaac grinned at him.

"I'm flattered you know of our group. What's your name?" Asked the man.

"My name isn't your business. You'll have to kill me to get it." Replied Cloud icily, drawing his sword.

"Tch. Fine. My name's Daidara. You've got some nerve facing us, the three most trusted subordinates of Esdeath!" He exclaimed proudly.

"If you truly live up to your name, then come at me. Along with both your friends too." Said Cloud, pointing at a man with gray hair and ponytail and the smallest one of the group, having the appearance of a mere teenager. Daidara swung at him, but Cloud calmly blocked the attack and kicked him back, showing a couple of fliers with the Night Raid insignia on them.

The puzzles fitting together, Cloud said, "I see. You try to assassinate any politician working for the Revolutionary Army and put the blame on us. Am I wrong?" Seeing their plan discovered, Daidara's partners frowned.

"I'll make you suffer dearly for messing with us!" Separating the axe, he threw them towards Cloud, who merely tilted his head to the side.

"You missed."

"I wasn't aiming for you." Widening his eyes, Cloud saw the projectiles heading for Spear and Chouri.

 _"Shit!"_ Moving quickly, the swordsman dove towards father and daughter and made sure they ducked, both pieces of Belvaac barely missing him, Chouri and Spear. They both returned to Daidara's hand. Looking back, Cloud saw them and other than being covered in snow, they were otherwise uninjured. Looking back at Daidara, he narrowed his eyes at them.

"So your axe can split in half and return to your hand. Pretty impressive, I admit."

"Heh, yeah I know. That's one of the advantages of this Imperial Arm."

 _"After I take him out, I gotta send that to the boss so she can give it to the base."_ Thought the swordsman.

"Jeez, Daidara you're taking a while there. Here, let me handle this." The smallest one of them called out. Taking out a flute, he immidiately began to play a song. Just then, everyone began to fall asleep. The music he played was so soothing...so comfortable...Cloud could just sleep then and there...

 _"No...I need to..."_ The swordsman tried his best to attack, but the music made hid body feel like they were weights tied to them. Raising his sword, Cloud turned it around, so that the blade faced him, and stabbed himself by the abdomen. Pain immidiately flared within his body, but the drowsiness began to subside and slowly, he lost sleepiness and faced the Three Beasts, standing up.

"Wait!? How can you survive impaling yourself in the abdomen?! A normal man would die from that wound!" Slowly, Cloud began to rise up, his abdomen leaking blood from the wound. Wordlessly, he took out the sword that was embedded within him, swiped it a few times to remove the blood and pointed it at them.

"You think you can do whatever you want? Just because you have the power? People are already suffering in this damned country. Yet you fools do nothing while you follow the orders of that damned Minister. I'll send you all to an early grave. Hope you prepared your will." Jumping, Cloud raised his blade, poised to strike. Daidara blocked the overhead blow, but the force of it sent him keeling trying to pry the swordsman off him. Taking out another blade, Cloud dual wielded them with efficiency and finesse, forcing Daidara to a defensive position. Head butting the Three Beast, Cloud delivered a kick to his face, dazing him for a few seconds before severing his arm from his body, making him scream in pain.

"Agh! What have you done to me! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" He roared, using his good hand to try to get a hit on Cloud, only to fail as he merely dodged with ease, a blank look on his face.

"You said you wish to kill me. Yet I'm still standing." Roaring in anger, Daidara threw Belvaac at Cloud, who caught it by the blade. Dashing towards him, charging energy and focusing his anger, Cloud utilized a Limit Break. One slash occurred, followed by another, which took off his legs and followed by another one, which sent his body flying, hitting the ground, his body lifeless. On Daidara's chest was an square, except the top side is open with an X inside. The kanji, "Misfortune" was written on his corpse.

Picking up the two pieces, Cloud fused them together, Belvaac becoming whole once more. He pointed the impact blade towards Daidara's partners. The smallest one was about to use his flute once more but the man with the ponytail stopped him.

"Don't. We must retreat for now." Said the man. The blonde boy pouted.

"Fine." He said.

"Know this: anyone not in league with Honest is under my protection. If you wish to kill them...you'll have to go through me." The man chuckled.

"You're an interesting man. What's your name?" He asked.

"I go by Fenrir." Replied the swordsman, glaring at Liver.

After they decided to back off, he found Spear, Chouri and the guards awake once more, some still coming to their senses.

"Are you all okay?" Asked the blonde, removing the hood and held out a hand for Chouri to take. Smiling, the old man took his hand and Cloud helped him up.

"Yes. Thank you so much for your help."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to make sure that you aren't in league with Honest. I couldn't blow my cover as an RA agent. Kent told me that the Three Beasts were coming for you and I needed to make sure you are not with them."

"You decided to trust me, despite just meeting me. You truly are something, my boy."

"My real name is Cloud Strife. I used Fenrir so that they wouldn't know who I was."

 _"That name fits him somehow, considering the pain held in his eyes and posture...this boy's endured quite a lot."_ Thought Chouri.

Cloud saw Spear glaring at him.

 _"Are you serious? Now seems glaring at me for saving her dad? Damn it-"_ suddenly, Spear hugged him tightly.

"I saw it all. Despite just knowing us...you willingly put your life on the line without thinking...thank you..." said his fellow blonde, nuzzling in his warmth. Edward couldn't help but chuckle as how tight Spear was gripping him.

"Cloud. I...wanted to say sorry. I jumped into conclusions and thought you were a threat, but after you fended off Esdeath's trusted generals and even killed one of them, you've earned my respect." Said the bulky man, holding out a hand to say sorry. Cloud merely smirked and shook it, as a means to saying it's all good.

"It's fine. No need to worry. How about this? I'll escort you all to your location and I'll leave once you arrive. Is that okay?"

"Wait...you're...coming with us?" Asked Spear, her face going red.

"Oh, perhaps my daughter found her better half perhaps?" Teased Chouri.

"SHUT UP, DAD!" She yelled childishly, making her old man chuckle.

"Though...what are we gonna do about the casualties?" Chouri frowned at that, seeing the dead bodies of his guards.

"We'll bury them here. We can't afford to do a proper funeral rite for them." Cloud nodded his head. Makes sense, since that it would only slow them down, adding the rotting skin.

"Now, shall we be off, Cloud?" The blond nodded his head.

"Let's go."

 **I'm really sorry about being late! I've been slacking off as of late. Reviews are appreciated, but if you wanna be a jackass then don't bother being here.**

 **Oh, here's a little trailer about the story I spoke of.**

 _It was Christmastime. A time when people would celebrate the holidays with their loved ones. A time when people would go out and be happy...but it was not the case for these teens._

 _Surrounded. That was the word to describe the scene before him. Many monsters are around the swordsman and his retinue._

 _Cloud has switched out his outfit, ever since he had more finer control of Sephiroth's power. His left eye is now permanently green with cat like pupils. A patch of his hair on the left side of his head is silver. His height went from five foot seven to six foot three. His clothes consisted of a simple white shirt, a black leather jacket with a pair of angel wings on the back. He donned combat shoes, with the Fenrir insignia on the side of each shoe. He also wore a black jeans, but were customized to allow Cloud free movement. He also wore black leather gloves, with Fenrir's insignia on the left glove while the right glove had a pair of angel wings, one black and one white._

 _His now bicolored eyes scanned the situation._

 _"So...it's of us against them, huh? Sounds interesting." Someone said with spiky white hair. His red and green eyes scanned the area along with Cloud, holding Bloodscythe on his right hand._

 _"We've done this before, so stop complaining." Said another person about six foot eight in height, wearing black armor and cape. His right eye was closed and he held a four hundred pound sword on hand._

 _"We're literally surrounded by monsters, this may not be that easy." Said a teenager with a skinny frame and donned a white jacket, along with white pants and shoes. Thanks to his power, his skin became incredibly pale, giving him an albino look._

 _"So..any kind of attack?" Asked a guy that donned a coat that went down to his legs. His also wore black gloves on each hand, multiple crystallized weapons covering him like a shield._

 _"We've defeated angels, demons, apostles, Neuroi and God knows what else. All of us can do this. Just keep up or I'll leave you behind." Replied someone with black spiky hair with white streaks. A white headband covered his forehead and he donned a black cloak-like jacket. He held a katana on his hand._

 _"Here they come!" Warned someone with silver hair and a black jacket, summoning a pair of blue wings, glowing with energy._

 _"Let's take them down!" Gathering their power, they all charged at the horde of youkai, with the intent of bringing them down._

 **Oh, yeah...guess who they are...sorry if my description of them sucks...I'm bad at describing characters, LOL.**

 **This is a separate story, but Cloud maintains the powers he gained from this one.**


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